Faction Ascension [Open to Sith and Jedi]

[Caden Evesa]

Location: Mortis
With: Darth Centax
Allies: Jedi
Enemies: Sith
Equipment: Field Robes | Lightsaber
​

Caden brough the ship down softly.

Mortis had been a location he'd read about in books, a location that was near fantasy, a location he'd never expected to visit. Mortis especially wasn't the location he expected to be fighting in aide of the Force. He didn't even know who he was fighting yet, but something had made the Force cry out and whatever it was definitely wasn't a good thing.

The young Jedi walked down the ramp of the ship, eyes casting around. There was a tall building in the distance, a building that Caden recognised from the stories as the monastary on Mortis. It was weird how much of the planet he recognised from different stories and things he'd otherwise written off as fiction over the years. He could now safely say none of it was fiction.

He set off, trecking towards the monastary.

Darkness clouded the monastary, he could feel it radiating from the building. It seemed to confirm his suspicions that the Sith had gained access to Mortis, that the Sith were the ones the Force was demanding protection from. It made sense, the everlasting battle in the Force would always be between good and evil, between two opposing ideologies in Jedi and Sith.

Caden drew his weapon, twisting it in his hands. It had been so long since the blade had seen use, not since the war with the Bryn and that had been years ago. Hopefully, the situation would have been wrapped up and it wouldn't need to see use, but Caden wasn't so sure. The darkness from the monastary was feeling stronger the closer he got, and he had a feeling it hadn't been cleared out yet.

He approached the monastary, and prepared for whatever was going to happen next.

 

[Thurion Heavenshield]

​

The Wellspring of Life

"We're going to be seeing Vera again very soon."

"Aye," the sudden voice of one who had answered the call allayed the fears of all within earshot of his commanding timbre. "Lady Vera of House Noble will see hearth and home again. The sanctity of this holiest of sites shall not be violated, least of all by the likes of House Zambrano." From the shadows emerged a hooded figure wearing the tattered robes of a bygone era, appearing at first as a humble monk. The pilgrim lifted his gaze, allowing a streak of light upon a full beard gleaming like gold.

Just as the stranger stepped out of the shadows, he shed his disguise by casting the robes to the ground, revealing a suit of armour forged in black steel and engraved with golden depictions of that most regal and majestic of beasts betraying the identity of this warrior. From his back flowed a cape of the deepest blue, it too bearing the sigil of the royal family. A King is never late; he arrives precisely when he means to.

He regarded Valery and Kahlil with but the slightest of nods, so focused on his task was he. It was a side of him neither Noble would have witnessed before, appearing before them in all his majesty and glory. To his left arm was strapped an artefact of legend synonymous with its bearer. Four focus crystals were embedded into its unbreakable surface, greatly amplifying the powers of its wielder.

"I swear this to thee as King and Grandmaster."

He'd come to wear many titles in life; Jedi, Warden, Lion. One such moniker placed upon him by his people rang more true today than it ever had before.

From its black scabbard the sword Anarion, meaning "Son of Sunlight" in the elven tongue, was drawn and held aloft, its pristine metal ringing harmoniously. From its shimmering blade, there shone a light bright as the sun, illuminating their surroundings and revealing these intruding shadows for the corrupted men they were, pitiful and foul.

This day, Thurion of House Heavenshield, First of His Name, entered the battlefield as Defier of the Dark. His will was iron, his spirit indomitable, his heart forever stout.

"We are one with the Force, and the Force is with us," he looked to the Nobles, recalling the ancient mantra before shoving his sword into the ground with great force, pinning it in place, and with his hand now freed he undid the straps of his shield and rested it against the half-buried blade.

Reaching behind his back, he pulled out the familiar cylindrical object and weighed it in the palm of his hand as he read the runic inscription upon its grip.

Seren.

The weapon of the Jedi sprung to life, ready to defend Life Itself as the Lion assumed the stance of Form V.

Valery Noble Kahlil Noble Darth Carnifex

 

[Darth Carnifex]

The glass surface shimmered, a dark reflection growing larger and larger at it's center. A shadow emerged, wreathed in hatred, rising tall above the smooth seamless ground. Another followed, and then another. Three pillars of shadow emerged, radiating the unfettered power of the Dark Side. Carnifex stood at their head, majestic in His cruel nobility. Demiurge stood to His left, willowy but coiled with malevolence. Kaahlil lurked at His right, shorter than the other two, but overflowing with bitterness and spite.

Three stood against three.

Trinity set before trinity.

"So," spoke the Dark Lord, "Three of darkness, and three of light, stand amidst the genesis of life. All that has been done has led to this moment, where all threads converge. As foretold, I have seized the Throne of Balance, and I stand upon the precipice of glorious ascension." He had extended both hands in a wide gesture, tightly clasping both hands on the last word to emphatically drive home His words. His eyes brimmed with purpose, the fires of ambition burning bright amidst the shadowy orbs.

"All that you have done has laid the foundations of this moment in time. Solipsis sought to remake the galaxy, but he fell at Tython. Mori sought to erase people like her and I from the galaxy, but she met her end at Exegol. None are left who can truly oppose me."

The Dark Lord withdrew His lightsaber from His side, the red blade snapping into existence with a violent crackle. Demiurge followed, a sickly green blade igniting at Carnifex's back. Kaahlil's yellow-orange blade was equally violent, the blade as chaotic as the cracked kyber within; the crystal stolen from Valery Noble herself. With a tear, Carnifex tore free the cloak from His body, revealing plated runic armor about His arms, legs, and torso. By contrast, Demiurge wore a bio-organic suit that resembled exposed muscle, and Kaahlil wore tattered Sith robes stained with blood and grime.

A pause grew as the three stared each other down, the humming and crackling of their sabers filling the air as time itself seemed to draw to a standstill. It would be Carnifex that broke the lull, rushing forward with blade at the ready to strike at Thurion through the heart. Demiurge moved a fraction of a second later, yearning to separate Valery's head from her shoulders. Kaahlil was the slowest of the three, but still considerably fast, rushing to gut his counterpart where he stood.

And the Force quaked.

Thurion Heavenshield | Valery Noble | Kahlil Noble ​

 

[Valery Noble]

Wellspring of Life

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble Thurion Heavenshield Darth Carnifex

Valery drew in a deep breath and raised a fortress around her mind, as she felt the Force shifting all around her. Great darkness was coming for them, but she stood ready to confront it. By her side, a green blade ignited, and to join its stance against evil, Valery tapped the ignition switch of her own weapon, allowing a violet blade to spring to life. This wasn't the first time they stood together against his father, but it felt so different.

"Thurion," Valery then said, her tone friendly but serious as he finally made his appearance. It hadn't been that long ago that they first met, but there was no other Jedi she'd have called upon as an ally alongside her and her husband. Not for this fight. This required so much more than just trust.

The intense focus in him that should have been surprising only offered her relief. He understood exactly what they were up against, and what it was going to take today. Valery closed her eyes, fell into the Force, and focused on the shifting nature of the Force around her. Figures began to take shape, the Dark side grew stronger and...

"Hello, Father."

Valery opened her eyes and stared the three figures down. Each one of them pulled at the darker memories of her life. From losing Kahlil when he fell to confront his father, to meeting Demiurge when they traveled to Panatha together. Then there was Kaahlil, the cowardly Sith who looked like her husband but felt nothing like him. She could still feel his blade burning in her stomach, from when he had pretended to be her husband in an attempt to kill her.

Those memories were forever a part of her, but they would never hold her back.

"This is it."

All at once, the figures of the Dark attacked, and Valery immediately raised her blade up to block the strike from Demiurge. His corrupted blade hissed against her own, and the Force around them screamed. Valery's muscles tightened, her jaw set and with Force-augmented strength, she shoved him back before directing a telekinetic blast at him. An attack not meant to off-balance or create distance, but one powerful enough to rip up the ground and send an unguarded enemy flying.

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"All that you have done has laid the foundations of this moment in time. Solipsis sought to remake the galaxy, but he fell at Tython. Mori sought to erase people like her and I from the galaxy, but she met her end at Exegol. None are left who can truly oppose me."

"I wouldn't be so sure."

Kahlil was calm. His eyes stayed focused on the trio before them, filled not with contempt, worry, or fear; but serenity. The Force was at it's strongest here. The song he once heard as a young Jedi was at it's loudest and purest. His double sped forward, the crackling blade arcing it's deadly strike, and Kahlil caught it against his own. His silver eyes stayed on the eyes of himself. The dark mirror, of the life that would've been had he stayed in the Dark all those years ago.

"I'm sorry."

For the life they had to suffer. For the life they'd been shown but denied to keep them deeper and deeper into Carnifex's clawed grip. The Force shifted underneath them as a runic sequence lit up the dark mirror. It came to life in a matter of seconds, fueled not by Kahlil but the Wellspring he'd been made Guardian of. He would suffer no trespasser. Even himself. The Light spread and burned, with the only intent to outright purge his double with the Light it brought.

Darth Carnifex | Thurion Heavenshield | Valery Noble

 

[Thurion Heavenshield]

​

The Wellspring of Life

The battle was joined. No eloquence, no fanfare, no warning. Six lightsabers were drawn and clashing three versus three. To his flanks were the two Nobles; a brave husband and wife partnership that echoed his own experiences fighting alongside his own wife through many hard-won campaigns. While their interactions were few in number, theirs was a family name lived up to in every respect. This was their time to shepherd the galaxy into a new prosperous age, whereas the name of Heavenshield had come and gone. His life was a small price to pay if it meant hope endured in the form of these two.

Highly-honed sense foretold of his age-old foe's initial charge, telling the venerable warrior to parry a strike too lightning fast to even see. Theirs was a dance as old as time; two titans of war slamming against one another as worlds came crashing down around them. Both were lauded as supreme champions of their cause, often likened to twisted mirror images of each other. For every world conquered, another was liberated. For every civilian put to the sword, another was saved. For every child corrupted, another was rescued.

How long could such a precarious dance of death persist? How long until one were to slip and fall to the utter ruin of their house?

An all-powerful combination of flurries and parries was unleashed by either side, the sheer power of which caused the very earth to quake. Light and Darkness personified were locked in the deadliest of duels, battling for the fate of the source of all life. Whatever the Black Iron Tyrant had in mind for the Wellspring, it mattered nought for the Lion blocking his path. None would pass under the King's watchful gaze.

After an exhaustive barrage of strikes and counters, azure and crimson blade was bound together as neither side would budge, allowing a brief moment for either side to stare down their opponent. "This is madness, even for you! This is the very bedrock of Life Itself, across every known world! I know not your intent, but this vile trespass ends here!"

Darth Carnifex Valery Noble Kahlil Noble

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"You should not have come, Heavenshield."

Their blades locked, and the two men stared one another down. Crackling energy danced in their eyes, the darkness within the Black Iron Tyrant rising as the light within the Golden Lion rose to meet it in turn. How many times have they replayed this moment? Across a hundred battlefields, over a dozen worlds, orders rising and falling around them. Both had sought some measure of seclusion from their order, but neither could escape it for long.

They would always return, it was in their nature. "My victory is at hand, it is inevitable. All that will come to pass has been decreed. You merely prolong what cannot be stopped."

He pushed against Thurion's blade, lightning snapping out from His body to strike the air and ground around them with arcs of bright scarlet electricity. Their blades moved again, quicker and quicker, each one meeting the other with a resounding thunderclap. Both were exemplars of their chosen devotion, and they had honed their bodies and minds into pure weapons. There were scant few who could match either of them on any meaningful level, and time had not diminished either of them yet.

Every action was reflected in the world around them, the Force responding to the clash between light and dark. Plants simultaneously withered and flourished, the ground healthy one moment before turning fallow the next, and the very air they breathed teetered between pure and tainted. Conflict was never meant to come to this place, the origin of all life in the galaxy, but the Dark Lord had thrust Himself through Night's Door and into this land where He was expressly forbidden.

Ramifications that could spell doom for the entire universe.

Thurion Heavenshield ​

"Spare me your sanctimony!" The Dark Mirror's voice screamed in concert with the crackling blade of his lightsaber, snapping together against Kahlil's own. Though physically identical, they were an unequal reflection. Kahlil had found strength and purpose in his rejection of the Dark Side and his embrace of his new family and the Light, but Kaahlil had only wallowed in darkness and loathing. All that he was, was a poor mimicry of the man before him; one who was more of a person, despite being a clone, than Kaahlil ever was.

Kaahlil knew this.

It churned in his heart, eating at his mind.

And he hated it. He hated Kahlil. And he hated himself.

But here was a chance to finally become more, to finally measure up in his Father's eyes. He had been promised the girl Vera, to raise as his own, and he'd been promised to do with Valery as he pleased once Kahlil was dead. His Father had said so Himself, and Kaahlil yearned for this reward more than anything. He'd finally be the man he'd always wanted to be, with all the things he knew were rightfully his. He'd told Valery as much long ago, that she would be his, and he'd been watching young Vera from afar. He would mold her well, he could see it.

"Once I've killed you, all that you have stolen will return to me!" Tears of blood streaked down from his eyes, staining his cheeks. The ground beneath them began to glow, runic symbols materializing around them as the Light became unbearable. It burned at his arms, the flesh bubbling and disfiguring as pain engulfed ever atom of his existence. He opened his mouth to scream, but not in pain, but in pure unmitigated rage.

"You have not been the only one who has learned much!" Identical runes, but tainted with darkness, danced up and down the Dark Mirror's arms. It thrust against the power wielded by Kahlil, seeking it meet it and nullify it.

Powerful light, powerful darkness.

Darkness, fueled by spite and rage, rushed out from Kaahlil's body like an explosive tidal wave. It had but one target, that of Kahlil, for all of Kaahlil's dark thoughts were twisted and bent towards him; so viciously hungering for his death.

Kahlil Noble ​

In contrast, Demiurge did not speak as his blade met Valery's. Their eyes met, and there was something dark and haunting within Demiurge's own. He seemed leaner, more gaunt, as thought he was diminishing. But still, his strength was considerable, and it took great effort for the Sword of the Jedi to push him back. The blast of telekinetic energy engulfed him, but he countered with a shield of energy of his own, though the ground was broken around and behind him.

With a breath of the Force, the dust and the debris from the resulting destruction was flung away from Demiurge. The man stood at the center of the destruction, towering like a living statue. His eyes, glowing bright green with dark energies, burrowed into Valery's own.

"You could have been a part of this," croaked Demiurge, "There would have been a place for you in the new future we bring. A seat at our table, where the natural order is restored to it's rightful state. We the strong are destined to rule, Valery. The Force has endowed us with this birthright, for we are elevated above all others. Those without the Force are only meant to serve, their purpose to obey us, and their lives ours to direct."

But then, Demiurge's face grew angry. "But no, you threw your lot in with fools like the Jedi. After all your years of abandonment in that stasis prison, how have you not come to see that the galaxy has not once prospered under the stewardship of the Jedi? The galaxy craves not peace, not justice, not the Jedi. It craves obedience, it craves order, under our eternal rule!"

Demiurge thrust forth his left hand, and a great gout of bright emerald fire rushed forth from his palm. It sought to utterly engulf the Sword of the Jedi, burning at temperatures far more extreme than any natural-born flame.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Wellspring of Life

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble Thurion Heavenshield Darth Carnifex

"The Galaxy has seen times of peace," Valery began, her voice calm but with a coldness to it. She knew of the seemingly periodic nature of war and peace in the Galaxy, and it had once made her reconsider whether or not her fight was worth it. But she stood here today because she had reached a conclusion, and nothing would ever sway her in the other direction again. "And every time there was peace, it followed the absence of people like you."

Valery's gaze now narrowed as Demiurge thrust forward his hand, and her fiery eyes seemingly began to glow. She lunged forward and was instantly consumed in the flames, but no amount of heat would burn her skin. The flames, more intense than any fire she had seen before, perfectly wrapped themselves around her, as she manipulated the fire and closed the distance. An enemy had once called her the flame of the Jedi, and Demiurge was about to learn why.

"You should have known better!" Valery called out, right as she cleared herself from the inferno with a powerful jump. Her grip tightened on her weapon, and as she came down towards the dark figure, she thrust her blade straight down towards his heart, her power fueled by her own, inner fire.

It was his time to be burned.

Tag: Jasper Kai'el Silas Westgard

Elsewhere, Jasper Kai'el was getting closer and closer to Vera's location, and Silas Westgard was not far behind. But Vera knew that she couldn't just sit still and do nothing. She was a Jedi, and she had to be brave. She had to help her friends, so they could all leave together. So as Jasper engaged the guards that were swarming towards him and leaving Vera behind in the process, she got up and moved.

"Jasper!" Vera called out amidst his battle with the seemingly endless wave of enemies.

She couldn't watch him possibly get hurt for her.

So with an outstretched arm and emotions rising within the young Noble, she drew on the Force and all at once, a group of guards was flattened against the ground, as gravity abruptly changed just around them. There was no way she could take all of them out, and more were coming, but she had to help her friends.

<Silas, please hurryyy!> she called out at the same time.

Together, they could overcome this.

 

[Darth Centax]

Another to fall before the Kethenite throne.​

Location: Mortis. Monastery Steps, Right Side.
Tag: Caden Evesa

Noticing a single soul brave enough to set foot their way, Centax didn't say a word, wanting the glory all for himself. The force compelled him to fight the challenge. If one man was strong enough to challenge this display of sith strength, that was one man worth killing.

Walking to the right of the monastery and off to the side, the slow steps of finality for the Jedi approached him. Their taken structure stood in the background behind him, where the fates of the galaxy were being decided. One Kanite was going to sound the alarm, but he found himself slammed to the floor unconscious. No one would take his singular glory, making sure any others watching understood, if they did they would die next.

"Bold." Throwing down a polearm he was carrying. His silver armor burned against the ethereal backdrop of the mountain, their mountain. Centax reached the final step at the bottom and his crushgaunt crushed into a fist, as if readying for another kill to come.

A bright crimson saber extended, the color picked for glory, for battle and conquest. The Sith General did not know how the battlescape would change, this was Mortis, and all bets were off. So he took a more cautious approach than usual.

Putting himself maybe three steps from striking, unless the Jedi ran. "How do you wish to die Jedi?" Taking a good bend of his front knee, Centax kept more flexibility and depth in the stance than usual. Assuming an Ataru posture, and preferring a looser grip for its rotations. The weapon extended upwards at his front right side. "And will they remember your name?"

Studying him for any hint of weakness, looking at the Jedi's posture, stance, grip, attitude, willingness to commit, and anything behind the eyes to pull at or use against him.

Gear: Khan OSK with Crushgaunts | x2 Lightsabers | Small Container on belt. | Songsteel Polearm on Floor.

 

[Kahlil Noble]

There it was. The vile teachings Carnifex had instilled. Not just through the runes, but his beliefs, his desires. Kahlil's life had become an example of what could have been through all the pain and all the sorrow Kaahlil had to suffer through. And now that hate was a weapon against him. The runes flickered underneath the darkness before they faded, consumed by the sheer hate and rage alone. He frowned, braced himself with another, shorter sequence before his arms to craft a barrier.

"It was never your life."

He shattered the barrier, all the energy, dispersed it around them as he lifted his blade. Any other time, any other chance, he would have extended a hand to the man. Who could know the life they had to live better than themselves? But here, at the Wellspring, after everything that had been done to him, his family, their people, the people of the Galaxy, it was too late.

"I'm sorry there's no other choice now."

An echo, previously distant and benign, incorporeality touched upon the tangible universe like a stone cast to the placid waters. A ripple of warmth, invisible to the eye yet encompassing the depth of compassion and faith, emotions that would flood unto the Jedi nearby. Convictions of strength and courage emboldened by an ethereal presence Kahlil Noble and Thurion Heavenshield would both recognize within the instant moment that the Spirit of @Veiere Arenais had joined them. There were no words spoken, no visual evidence of the late Jedi Master. To those who did not recognize him, one could only describe a surge of power captivated in the heart and enhancing their connection to the Force. What would have taken effort to practice, now lay well within grasp.

Then more. One after another, the Jedi who had found their peace within the Force reached out to empower the trio. The Jedi who lived a peaceful life and died a peaceful death. The Jedi cut off too soon. The Jedi Carnifex had killed himself without claiming their souls, they were all here now.

Kahlil lifted his saber, extinguishing the green blade in favor of a silent, white sword. A blade of pure light, filled with all the desire to protect this heart of the Force, before he brought it down upon his Dark Mirror.

Valery Noble | Thurion Heavenshield | Darth Carnifex

 

[Caden Evesa]

Location: Mortis
With: Darth Centax
Allies: Jedi
Enemies: Sith
Equipment: Field Robes | Lightsaber
​

Caden shook his head.

He'd expected to come across opposition, he hadn't expected it to come to him. He hadn't expected a Sith to walk up and challenge him to a fight, he thought they'd be too busy focusing on the goal that brought them to Mortis in the first place.

The young Jedi offered a slight smile behind his helmet. He rolled his neck, staring down his opposition. It was a man he'd never met before, a man he'd never crossed on the battlefield. That meant uncertainty, he didn't know how the man would fight, if he would fight fairly dirty like the majority of Sith he had come across or if he would fight clean and respectfullly.

His opposition took up an Ataru stance, and Caden nodded.

Slowly, he rotated his own weapon and raised it in front of his face, lowering it into the Makashi opening guard. He remembered all the years previous, learning Makashi from Damien Starchaser on Kashyyyk, not sure if he would ever need to use it or not. He'd used it more in his life than he'd ever expected or wanted to use it, but that came with the fact he'd been a Jedi through war.

"Well, aren't you a little cocky"

Caden offered a slight laugh, eyes dancing over his opponent.

"I was hoping we could just talk over a Corellian Brandy and some cake, yknow? You've decided that we need to resort to fighting, do we not even get the formalities of a good chat? I'm ugh, Caden, by the way. I'm assuming you know what's going on?"

He readied his blade, in case of any attack from his foe.

"Or would you rather just fight? I'm honestly good with whichever, yknow?"

​

 

[Thurion Heavenshield]

​

The Wellspring of Life

The fateful battle raged on, causing an upheaval in the Force itself. The Light and Dark at war with itself created a great disturbance in the Force that likely would be felt across the galaxy; an intrusive, foreboding sensation as the Wellspring at once inspired confidence and shrieked in despair. These hallowed grounds were not meant to be tread upon, least of all by the corruption rampant within the three aspects of Carnifex. As far back as he could recall, Thurion had known Kaine to be the greatest threat to achieving long-lasting peace. This most desperate act to achieve immortality at the risk of all life in the galaxy only confirmed his sentiments.

Balance was in the balance.

"The Living Force is not yours to devour, Emperor," he defied the Dark Lord of the Sith. "It is the energy of Life, granting us the strength to persevere; it lifts us up when we are at our lowest, pushes us to achieve greatness, and offers comfort when we are lost!" As he recounted his master's lessons, he seemed to speak in Her voice.

"Know that Light can never be extinguished! It lives on, found in every act of love and compassion, no matter how small," he continued quoting Her with ever-increasing zeal, his voice now tinged with that of a woman. In the incessant flashes stemming from their clashing lightsabers, Her likeness was cast upon Thurion's features. Her spirit was here, fighting alongside Her greatest achievement. He felt Her hand upon his, guiding his every strike.

Thurion pressed the advantage, striding into Kaine's attacks with confidence like a man possessed, before knocking his adversary back with a forceful push emanating from the palm of his hand. Thurion's entire stance shifted, no longer that of the Way of the Krayt Dragon but rather the balanced Way of the Rancor; Form VI, known as Niman.

"You will not lay a hand on this sacred site," the ethereal voice now spoke, a perfect blend of the two as the being standing before Kaine was no longer just one man. "You will not lay a hand on my son."

Darth Carnifex Valery Noble Kahlil Noble

 

[Jasper Kai'el]

Aing Ti, The Embrace
Tags: Vera Noble , Silas Westgard , Starlin Rand ...

​

"Jasper!"

A wave of energy thrown out from a nearby cell was enough to throw off a decent amount of the gathered guards, giving Jasper an opening to pick up steam and clear out the floor. His tendons seemed to ache with each swing, ripping through the Sith left behind with the full extent of his strength. Ashes and embers filled the hall, spilling out from the alchemically altered Sith amongst the guards. When the final one fell, an exhausted breath escaped his diaphragm. The Lux Ultima was returned to his back, his lightsaber to his side, and the knight made haste to Vera's cell.

"Alright, kiddo, I'm gonna need you to stand back," he told her.

Then, mustering his strength once again, Jasper grabbed hold of the cell door. Steam billowed out of his mechanical arm as he ripped the door off the wall, the hinges contorting as he did so. The knight felt something tear in his organic bicep as he did so, but he could worry about that later.

"Hold still," Jasper continued, pulling a stim pack out of his pocket, "This should help you feel a little better."

Vera didn't look so good. They had done something to her, something that had opened... whatever it was that Carnifex had used to get to Mortis. Carnifex wasn't a person. He wasn't even a monster. He was pain and suffering itself, an entity enslaved by his own desire. Calling him a disgusting wretch or the shadow of a man didn't even come close to the truth. There was nothing organic left.

None of this frustration showed on Jasper's face. He wasn't here to be controlled by anger. He administered the stim shot to Vera's shoulder, calm and collected.

"Let's get you home."

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"You think she will save you? Pathetic fool."

The Dark Lord of the Sith recognized the voice that was woven together with the Lion King's, that of Asha Seren's. How she had been made to suffer at His hand, the loss of two of her children; one to death, and the other to His teachings. Now another stood in the Dark Lord's path, not one of blood, but nonetheless family. Carnifex recovered from Thurion's Force attack, backflipping before landing solidly on His feet a few meters away, His lightsaber reigniting seconds later.

Carnifex was unperturbed by this development, standing confident amidst the swirling tempest of the duels around them. Darkness wreathed His form like a cloak, shadowy energies billowing out from beneath His feet. He aimed His lightsaber at Heavenshield, the Dark Side swelling within Him. "Your efforts mean nothing, your faith even less. The Wellspring will swallow your smoldering remains."

The shadow beneath Carnifex's body suddenly rushed forward, shooting across the ground between Himself and Heavenshield. It suddenly rose up, a mass of utter darkness vaguely shaped like a woman, with arms sharpened into piercing weapons. The shadow sought to run Heavenshield through, to skewer him where he stood. At this same time, the Dark Lord sprung into action, closing the distance at a rapid pace. His lightsaber shot out, crimson blade indomitable, moving to try and cut the Lion King's head from his shoulders.

Thurion Heavenshield

Kaahlil's only response was a growl of anger, easily tearing free from between his lips. His rage was ascendant, eclipsing all other emotions. It was reflected in his eyes, the whites having gone completely blood-red while his irises burned bright like coals. The Light had torn through his arms, great canyons running up and down where the flesh was absent. New runes held both arms together now, grotesquely knitting skin and bone together as a temporary solution. But nothing short of targeted medical attention would repair them fully.

"Keep your words behind your teeth, worm, or I will force them down your throat." He was like a feral animal, prowling just beyond Kahlil's reach with teeth fully bared. Any mask of civility that once existed had been fully cast off, now only the unrepentant truth remained. He was Kahlil taken to the darkest extremes, drawn so deeply into the Dark Side that reason all but abandoned him. The Dark Lord did not want this version to ever again be tempted by the Light, to ever again stray from the path He had laid. There was no avenue in which Kaahlil could ever be saved, he was lost forever.

Drowning in the dark.

He lunged, crackling blade coming down for the kill. He envisioned Kahlil's body being cut in twain, split from shoulder to groin, and the jubilation that would bring. But his blade did not fall that far, it did not even connect with Kahlil. Instead, it was stopped dead in its tracks by a new weapon, one forged of the light. The moment the two weapons met, the crystal within Kaahlil's blade screamed. It screamed so loud, it caused ripples in the Force that shot out in all directions like an explosion. Then, at the crescendo of its agony, the crystal shattered.

Kaahlil was immediately thrown back, crashing into the ground with such tremendous force he bounced several times before stopping. His weapon, his lightsaber, was a ruined mangle of metal somewhere between where he was and where he'd once been standing. His right hand was in a similar state of injury, with several fingers completely missing and the flesh of His palm a pulped mess. He arose unsteadily, clutching his wounded hand. Falling back on the teachings of his Father, he grit his teeth through the searing, unbearable pain.

His eyes looked up to seek out Kahlil's, even more filled with anger than before. "You insignificant mote, do you think you have won?" He uncovered his mangled hand, and allowed the Dark Side to flow into it without restraint. Blue flames burst forth from the wounds, coating the entire hand for several moments as the pain became beyond excruciating. Kaahlil could not help but cry aloud in both pain and rage. When the fire receded, the ruined portions of Kaahlil's hand were replaced by crystalized flame.

New flames then burst forth, green flames rushing up from his palm, taking on the appearance of a large sword. When these flames too receded, Kaahlil was left holding a massive bladed weapon etched in dark runes. He clutched the terrible weapon with both hands, fingers coiling around the grooved metal hilt. The sword seemed to writhe in the Force, a devouring presence that sought to draw in life-force; regardless of if it were living or dead.

"See what power my Father has bestowed upon me, and know that you cannot stand against us. Gliod'limkil shall be your end!"

Then he rushed forward, heaving the massive sword towards Kahlil and the souls that rallied to him.

Kahlil Noble

She came forth from the flames, wreathed in them, leaping towards him like a mynock out of chaos. His eyes tracked her, they saw far more than any mortal's could. He raised his right hand towards her, but no new attack leapt forth from his fingertips nor his palm. Instead, a skull wrenched itself out from beneath his skin, it's leering visage radiating darkness. It continued to viciously tear itself free, a shaft of gnarled iron now following it before it at last leapt forth from within his flesh.

Demiurge now held aloft a staff in his right hand, from which a barrier materialized between himself and the oncoming Sword of the Jedi. It would catch her attack, repel her, and drive her back. That was its purpose, brought into existence by Demiurge's will channeled through the staff in his hands. When that purpose was fulfilled, the barrier would dissipate into nothingness.

"Peace is a lie, Valery Noble. There is only passion. These are our words, and they ring true no matter the age of the galaxy. We have been lying in wait for millennia, biding our time, watching our enemies. Now our time has come." As he spoke, Demiurge's bright yellow eyes began to glaze over, almost as though he were being blinded in real time, thought he did not react to the shift. "The Sepulchral shall seize the Wellspring, and with it, our apotheosis shall come."

He aimed the scepter at Valery, the skull's eye sockets glowing with a dark purple energy. Suddenly, this energy manifested as tightly bound beams of Dark Side power shot forth from both of the skull's eyes. Continuously they fired as a single unbroken stream, searing through soil and rock; easily capable of withering away flesh and bone as well.

"We will grant you a vision of the end before you die, so you can weep as the sun sets on this galaxy."

Valery Noble

 

[Silas Westgard]

Objective: Save Vera
Tag: Vera Noble / Jasper Kai'el / Starlin Rand

"Ooh, nice. We got some real quality Jedi Knights here today! All right, let's save this kid. Where the Sith at?"

Silas had been too focused on the task at hand to sense Starlin close by calling out to him. Stopping only briefly, the knight looked back with a look that showed how cold Silas could get. To say the least, Silas was pissed. However, the anger that he felt was controlled and used to strengthen his resolve in finding Vera "Sir... I'm glad you come to help us. Try and keep up with me, after this conversation I won't be slowing down" Silas said with venom, just before he heard the young girl ask for his aid

His head snapped down the corridor and for a brief moment, his eyes opened wide. Not a moment later Silas fell back into focus and shot in her direction like a bullet, an unstoppable force that felt like it could get through anything to reach his goal. And that was to ensure Vera Noble was safe from the Sith.

Within the chamber, the pair of them would begin to hear distant screams as well as yells getting more closer. Whatever was coming seemed to be relentless, unstoppable even, soon enough it seemed to just be outside the door. Suddenly, a smoking body flew into the doorway, motionless and defeated by a familiar force. Soon after footsteps were heard walking into the room to reveal a bloodied Silas, not from his own but from the foes he and Starlin had cut through along the way. He breathed heavily as he looked between the two, seemingly loosening up on the spot upon seeing Jasper there already.

"Sorry I'm late Vera..." Silas apologized, nodding to Jasper in thanks "I presume you've already tended to her wounds?" the man asked caringly, his arms opening wide to try and give little Vera a big hug to let her know she was safe "We're here now Vera, you're safe now..." Silas reassured, "Let's get you back to your mother shall we?"
​

 

[Darth Centax]

Location: Mortis. Monastery Steps, Right/West Side.
Tag: Caden Evesa

"Then I will toast to your memory Caden." His memory would be a footnote in Centax's own ascension but one perhaps worthy of remembering for his bold approach. Stepping forward two steps closer and so one from striking. Centax looked ahead unmoving. Waiting for the other to flinch, make a wrong move, or lower his guard. Any weakness would be met with unforgiving lethality. If this Jedi gave him one opening, one mistake.

Did he know what was going on?

You might swear in the force Caden felt a momentary satisfied smile from the Darth. It had something to do with the container on his belt. "Fate is being decided behind us, for all of you." Why had the former One Sith general come to Mortis, just to see another's plan unfold? Unlikely. His destiny would never be decided by another, not even Keth anymore.

Somewhere in the monastery the zealous kethenite fanatics remained stealthed and were moving to key points. North, South, East, and West as he was. Apparently just to kill any Jedi intruders, you see they wanted this plan to succeed, in part. Why were Keth and Kaine, Kethenites and Kainites so aligned?

"And you get to witness it before the end." His death was a fitting symbol of what was going on, for others.

Focused concentration pressured. Ethereal ground underneath his opponent's feet might resonate unsteadily, as force combustion broke the surface of the dream world to whatever lay beneath. Pushing off side to side, leading to uncertainty as to where the Sith Knight would strike. A rendition of the Ton Su Ma rotation carried his body around in a spin, feet pressing into the malleable landscape to bend his knee, and giving two horizontal strikes on either side of his opponent.

Upward, Ataru was fast, his heavier armor didn't make for the best use of it, so there were opportunities here for a skilled duelist. Even so, pinning him down would still be hard. Pressing low into his deep stance Centax got ready to half jump and land lunging downward with the saber, propelling himself forward into another right-side twist with the front foot.

Caden Evesa

Gear: Khan OSK with Crushgaunts | x2 Lightsabers | Small Container on belt. | Songsteel Polearm on Floor.

 

[Caden Evesa]

Location: Mortis
With: Darth Centax
Allies: Jedi
Enemies: Sith
Equipment: Field Robes | Lightsaber
​

Caden found himself on the defensive quickly.

His opponent was fast, better trained than Caden and dangerous. The use of the Force had shattered the ground below them, leaving Caden scrambling to figure out where the attack would come from. He'd been forced backwards without even realising it, his opponent pressing him with the fast paced attacks that came with a form such as Ataru, a form Caden hadn't fought in years.

Quickly, the Makashi style was dropped and Caden bacame focused purely on survival. He knew he was outmatched by the Sith who stood opposite him. The jump and lunge was nearly fatal, Caden's yellow blade only just meeting the weapon of his opponent. He was pretty much certain he wasn't hiding the fact he was outmatched either, he was giving the Sith countless opportunities to strike and only just matching them with his own blade.

Makashi was the style he was most comfortable with, it was a style he'd been training himself where possible, but even he had to admit he was outmatched against his opponent, a man who seemed incredibly comfortable in the usage of Ataru. He needed to create some space, quickly. He needed to regroup, resolidify his Makashi stance and maybe put himself on the attack for once.

Then he noticed his opening.

Ataru required quick motions, very fluid motions. His opponent, whilst clearly comfortable with the form had come to battle wearing heavy armour. Heavy armour which was slightly hindering his speed, leaving small openings where the counter attack could be pressed. The two blades, blade of Jedi and blade of Sith clashed once again, and with the initation of the saber lock Caden took his opening.

"The fate of the world, huh? Oh well, at least I'll get to say I fought in the final few seconds of the galaxy and all that"

The young Jedi twisted, his footwork and his blade stepping forward. He pushed his opponent away, pressing the attack himself. He forced his opponent backwards, lunging and slashing with his weapon like he was taught as a practicioner of Makashi. His blade was slashing left and right, lunging and blocking where needed to force his opponent backwards. However, Caden knew he wasn't a master of Makashi and while his technique had briefly given him the offence, it was sloppy and very easily exploitable for someone with more experience than he.

"I hope both of us will, all you need to do is surrender"

 

[Valery Noble]

Wellspring of Life

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble Thurion Heavenshield Darth Carnifex

The moment Valery's blade struck the barrier created by Demiurge, a sudden but instant shift in the Force occurred. She had heard his last words and felt the imminent attack, and decided to alter the nature of this battle. So, Valery and Kahlil, together one in the Force, moved through space and time to swap places faster than the blink of an eye. She appeared with her violet blade raised in defense to catch Kaahlil's incoming attack and grinned as she looked into his eyes.

"You were looking for me?"

She knew that Kahlil could handle Demiurge and his Dark Side sorcery, while she'd handle the coward who had portrayed himself as her husband to stab her in the gut all those years ago. So with her blade blocked with Kaahlil's and the Jedi Shadow-trained barriers shielding her from its darker effects, she stared him down. "Well, here I am," Valery continued, now drawing back her weapon to swing it against his guard once.

"But I will never be yours," she added before throwing a second, more power-driven strike across his body. "And neither will my daughter!" Valery exclaimed before slamming down her lightsaber again, not in anger, but with controlled passion and ferocity. The Vornskr within her burned like an inferno, as she gave it her all to break him apart.

---

After some emotional use of the Force, she had given Jasper just the little bit of help he may have needed to overcome his enemies. But as Vera saw him fight, she began to doubt whether or not he really needed it — he was willing to push himself so far just to get to her. So when he finally did reach her cell, she couldn't stop the tears from flowing down her cheeks.

She had never been so happy to see another Jedi's face. Finally, she could go home.

Vera then stepped back while Jasper broke open the cell, and she even remained completely still while he gave her the stim. It helped make her feel better, but what helped a lot more was just his presence and the approaching one from Silas Westgard .

"Thank you..." she cried and stepped forward to wrap her little arms around his torso. But as she did, a tremor echoed through the Force once more, and her little hand found its way to his bicep. "You're hurt." She looked him in the eyes, lips trembling, and looked like she was about to do or say something when Silas entered.

"Silas!" she yelled and ran up to him for a big hug as well. He was like a big brother to her, so his presence alongside Jasper's could only mean one thing. She really was going to be home again.

"Let's get you back to your mother shall we?"​

Vera pulled back, sniffed, and nodded, "I missed mommy and daddy."

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"I remember that vision."

Their realities, their bodies, their minds. So much of them had been intertwined within the Force through their Dyad. And here in the Wellspring, there was no place they were stronger together. Even before they swapped their positions, Kahlil's hand had already raised to form the barrier he was now utilizing to defend himself against Demiurge's assault. Sith Magic had always been more his thing than saber work.

He pulled on the Force, on the energy being driven towards him. The runes within his barrier flashed and burned, some twinkling out, others strengthening until he turned that energy into it's own weapon. Kahlil scattered the energy with a wave of his hand, letting it coalesce around him. Light condensed, shimmering into thin lines. A purified version of the Darkshear he used to use himself as a Sith.

"This future ends here. You will not bring about the end. The Wellspring itself stands against you, and with us."

His hand fell, and with it, the barrage of Light. Not just towards Demiurge. Carnifex, Kaahlil, he let the flurry of them all fly towards the trio of Darkness. Where the Sith might stand strongest on their own, the Jedi were strongest together.

All of them.

Valery Noble | Thurion Heavenshield | Darth Carnifex

 

[Thurion Heavenshield]

The Wellspring of Life

"Master," a young boy asked, reaching for the dark-haired lady.

"Together, sweet child," the woman replied, taking him by the hand.

"Together," a man echoed, standing where once there stood a boy.​

All at once, in the blink of an eye, three things happened. Strengthened by the apparition of his adoptive mother, Thurion recoiled as the shadow of Carnifex lunged at him with its scythed appendages. While mid-jump he reached out, summoning the pair of dormant relics from their resting place. Sword and shield both shot through the air, each with its own destination; as the Sunlight Blade found the awaiting palm of its master, the Shield of Heaven was sent hurdling like a comet towards the charging Dark Lord, intending to intercept and slam into Kaine's flank with full force and knock him off course. In the same motion of having received his sword, Thurion swung the legendary Anarion in a wide arc, its Force-imbued powers of the Sun banishing the shadowy creature as it sliced it in twain.

There he stood now, having finally amassed his full power and potential. In those humbled yet hardened carpenter's hands rested two blades; one of glistening gold, and the other of the deepest blue. Both weapons of Light. Thurion looked to one, and then the other: The former had an old piece of cloth attached to its pommel, having once belonged to his mother's robes. His sole memento of their time together. The other was bathed in sunlight, recalling the warmth of his father. A beloved king, taken much too soon.

Wielding these weapons, he was made whole. He was a Jedi, and he was a King. A devoted servant of the Force and beloved ruler of Midvinter. Son of High King Thrand Dawnbringer, and adopted son of Jedi Master Asha Seren. He was the Defier of the Dark, the Bane of Fiends, and the Slayer of Demons. Many so-called supreme beings had been proven otherwise.

He was a beast in the shape of a man.

He was the Lion.

"Together," the booming timbre of Thurion intermingled with the spectral voice of his long-deceased master spoke aloud. Just as Kahlil summoned a hailstorm of pure light to hurl at the three Zambranos, so did Thurion raise his sword of elven making to call upon his father's blessing, bathing the battlefield in a purifying light, capable of blinding or even stunning servants of Darkness.

"Crawl back to the shadows," he demanded of his foes. "Fall into the nothingness that awaits you! Despair as you have made countless despair!"

Darth Carnifex Valery Noble Kahlil Noble