Civil War: The Last Mandalorian

[Mia Monroe]

Mia tried to kick as the grappling hook was wrapped around her legs, fear creeping back into her eyes. "Ra..." the single syllable gurgled from her lips in a plea. Either the Undying didn't hear her or he simply didn't care. The blood rushed the her head as his bes’uliik rose from the ground, the city below spinning horribly, moving in a sickening blur of colour as Ra’s transmission bellowed out below. Mia closed her eyes, struggling to breath blood and tears running up into her hair.

Mi’ika.

Ordo smiled at her. A sad smile. Beckoning. “Even a master smith has to know when they’re not best for certain work, Mi’ika.”

The ground hit her hard, Ra’s parade letting her body bounce from one pile of rubble to the next, the cries of those he passed seemed a million miles away. She never cried out, even as sickening snaps ricocheted around her, she would not give him that.

Somewhere between the loops of the city, Mia stopped feeling anything, Ordo’s voice drifting into her ears once more. “You heated the beskar. Let them shape it.” She sank into the oblivion, the sweet emptiness of the dark and let it engulf her, her last breath passing with a sigh and a small smile.

Broken and bloody her body might have been, but she welcomed her end with a smile.

What was there to fear?


Death was lighter than a feather.

[member="Ra Vizsla"] [member="Preliat Mantis"]

 

[Writer]

Location: Spaceport
Allies: The Force? Anyone?
Enemies: Death Watch ([member="Tahn Vizsla"], [member="Tal Vizsla"]), Cold, Everything

She felt a ripple through the Force that caused her to shift in her movements, to the left as it were. She spun on her heels and brought the large mace up on a guard position, utilizing the hilt to block the blow that was incoming from [member="Tal Vizsla"]. An explosive array of sparks flew through the air as the Force screamed at her once more, causing Mira to push forward at Tal – intent on throwing him off balance. She’d turn to respond to the cry from her senses, only to receive a hard slap from the blunt end of a Mandalorian axe.

Mira grunted and fell backwards in the snow with a thud. She felt the shift in mood, the desperation of those attempting to fight on and those they were fighting. Through her cracked visor, she caught a glimpse of the limp body of [member="Mia Monroe"] being paraded about. There was no time for grieve; there was only time to escape. She did her best to call upon the chaotic Force around her, but got nothing in return.

Despair would find her as she propped herself up on an elbow as she struggled to gain strength. Her eyes fixated on a grate a few meters away that led to the sewers below, and possibly a place to get refuge and heal – and escape. Mira groaned as she rolled over onto her stomach and began crawling through the debris and bodies, ignoring the fact she was engaged with the two very healthy members of Death Watch. She had hoped they’d be pre-occupied with their victory than their prey that was attempting to flee…

Atleast, that is what she hoped.

 

[Gilamar Skirata]

Location: MandalMotors Shipyards

The reports were in.

Monroe was dead.

Gil had abstained from the final battle, instead he found time to prepare for the inevitable moment when Death Watch would come knocking. The door leading into his office hissed open. Gil met them with his back to them, instead he chose to look into the abyss of space. The black empty was only given light from Mandalore's sun. In the distance he could see Mandalorian ships dropping out of hyperspace, no doubt more Death Watch loyalists. He sighed.

"What is the offer?"

A familiar voice answered, but he couldn't place exactly who it was. "Build for Ra, help him rebuild our home and our people." The old man scoffed.

"He sent you?" He had already planned on his answer. A mere grunt couldn't defeat him. He flipped around and his hand flew to his blaster pistol, but to no avail. A blaster bolt threw it into the transparisteel. He didn't recognize the armor of the Mandalorian to any clan or orginization.

"And don't bother calling Atin. My team should have already disabled the droid by now."

"Heh...So what?"

"So this. Gilamar Skirata, House Skirata sentences you to death." The sound of a blaster filled the room. A familiar warm and fuzzy feeling washed over his body as his vision began to blacken. The last image he saw was a Mandalorian remove his helmet, and rage filled his heart as he realized that he had been betrayed.

 

[Atsushi Ono]

Location: MandalMotors

A cold sweat took the young Mandalorian as the old man crumpled to the floor in a heap. He realized he had been holding his breath and released it. Ra would never let Gilamar be killed, but him being alive on his own made things difficult for him. No, he had to be kept close. A stun shot would keep him out long enough to transport him. Two other Mandalorians grunted as they carried a body equal in size, age, and build to the old Alor of House Skirata. In minutes they had replaced the bodyglove and stripped Gil of his armor, placing a few telltale items with the new body that would help convince whoever found him that the body was indeed Gilamar Skirata's. It was a long process, swapping bodies. But it needed to be done in order for him to achieve his goal. He couldn't allow for the possibility of Gil ruining his position within Death Watch.

His amber eyes watched over the men as they worked. It wasn't long before the pair zipped up the body of Gilamar Skirata and finished planting the explosives. He had made sure the audio and video recorders had been cut in his office. And now the final piece of the puzzle.

"Thank you for helping me with this. Your families will see greatness in the future under Ra and House Skirata..."

"Thank you-" Kill, maximum power, to the visor. Before the other could realize what was happening he was dead too. With another sigh he crouched down and ripped the audio and video recorders from the pair's helmets and crushed them.

"That's that..." He grunted as he hefted Gil's body over his shoulder. "Valyr should be far enough away from the Mando'ade for now to keep you...Can't have you running around making a bad name for House Skirata...And I can't have you coming to your senses and joining Ra...Where would that leave me? No, no, no. You will stay locked away where no one can find you..." Gil's body and his armor were heavy, but it was worth the cost.

The office was destroyed behind him along with the evidence in a fiery explosion. Alarms blared throughout MandalMotors as the charred remains of three men and all of the flimsi files held by MandalMotors in that room were sucked into the vacuum of space. In less than half an hour Gil was on a hyperspace jump to Valyr and Dorn had disposed of the armor he had borrowed and donned his own, white armor. He would not let House Skirata burn away like Ordo on the Pyre. No. House Skirata would rise again, had to, rise again.

And he would be the one to bring them to glory.

 

[H3xle]

LOCATION: Spaceport
ALLIES: Mandalorians, [member="Mia Monroe"], [member="Ru Tetsuya"], [member="Rekali the Hutt"]

ENEMIES: Death Watch, [member="Silas Mantis"], [member="Ra Vizsla"]

Vila turned her left arm towards the blast, lifting the arm up on instinct to protect from the blast of the shotgun. Her primary shield took some, and the still active light shield took the rest, but once again the force transferred through, wrench at her already injured shoulder, and pulping the bones in her forearm. The torque of her defensive turn and the shotgun blast ripped Silas's beskad free, dropping it to the ground with a profusion of blood.

"There is no Mand'alor right now. Mia will pay for her crimes no matter what the end of this war, but her child does not receive her sins. He will be raised as a Mandalorian, and will know the mistakes his mother made. They will make him stronger." She said as she sank to her knees. Pain evident in her voice, her left arm hanging like a truly dead limb. "I did not choose her side. I chose his, I chose to fight for the child. Nothing can bring back your child, nor the children Mia and Ijaat killed. Killing another child just continues the atrocities. Family is part of the Resol'nare, part of what makes us Mandalorians. That is more than who gives birth to who, Family is all of our children. It is for them that we need to fight." She stood, slowly, the pain obvious in her movements, as was her resolve. Her beskad was back in it's sheath, and in her hand was Silas's Beskad, which she tossed towards his feet in a lob. Her hand went to her helmet and removed it, slidding it over the handle of her beskad on her right side. "I should have stopped fighting when the child was born, but I've never been one to back down from a fight. You want to send me to the Manda, do it, but Mandalorians need to stop fighting each other."

Blood trailed down from her wounds, and she wasn't the most steady on her feet. She knew she was beaten. Her eyes locked onto Silas's, and she tilted her head up, standing proudly there to wait for the death he would bring, or the chance to atone for her own mistakes now. Either way, she would not run and hide as her parents had, she wouldn't live in disgrace. She'd retake her honor, or die trying.

She held her arms out to the sides, hands open, and waited.

 

[Silas Mantis]

Location: Streets
Allies: Mandalore, Ghosts
Enemies: [member="Vila Sayne"]

Silas didn't answer her, his shotgun fell into the snowy dirt. Slowly he raised himself up to his feet and began to stagger forwards. Resol'nare meant nothing now, not to him. All that mattered was the images in his mind, of [member="Yasha Mantis"] with tears streaming down her face as they rode to Keldabe, of the anguish he saw hiding behind [member="Kaden Farr"]'s eyes. They had not deserved this, and [member="Preliat Mantis"], he did not deserve the anguish he felt now, he had earned a happy life raising Yasha and whatever they would've named the boy, to have Aditya hold him close when the nightmares came, to have Jasper there to provide guidance on all things from farming to fatherhood. But that was gone now. It was all gone.

He didn't pick up the beskad tossed to his feet, staggering past it as his blood stained the snow. Looking down on Vila, there was a remnant of the sympathy that once was his defining trait in his gaze. Kneeling slowly, his prosthetic steadying his descent, he sighed. "I cannot forgive you ner'vod. I cannot forgive that child, but perhaps when I find it," He paused, wincing in pain. "Perhaps I will change my mind." Silas managed, his voice steady despite his pain.

Flicking his wrist, a beskad emerged from under his wrist, a short blade affixed to the gauntlet of his beskar'gam. "Go now to the Manda." He said, the rage subsiding in his voice as he carefully slid the blade in-between the armor plating aiming to pierce her heart, and finally bring the clash to its end. One more life for the Civil War to claim. For Yasha, for Kaden, for Preliat, for Mandalore.

 

[H3xle]

[member="Silas Mantis"]

Vila's eyes never left Silas as he approached. She saw the decision in his eyes, and she accepted it. As he crept closer on his injured leg, she reached over and removed the Beskad from her left hand sheath and made it pierce the ground at her feet, then followed suit with her right hand blade. She then reached over and released the gauntlet of her left hand, the light shield faded as the gauntlet fell next to her beskad. She couldn't do the same for her right, as her left hand had stopped responding, but she made no move to use the flamethrower on her right arm.

"I am Vila Sayne, of no clan. My parents are Dar'manda, and I had hoped to overcome that. I failed." They weren't glorious last words, merely honest ones. She hadn't overcome the shame of her parents dishonor, merely compounded it with her actions in this war. Despite the gaping void of failure opening up in her stomach, no tears stained her eyes, and she did not shut them against the pain, nor her coming death.

As the blade pierced her side, slowly sliding in through the under armor she wore, her right hand rose and went to grasp the back of Silas's head. She wanted to look into his eyes as she died. She had never met this Mandalorian before this day, but he was vod nonetheless.

"I failed." She muttered, as the blade pierced her heart. The world went dark to her, and the strength left her limbs.

Vila's body fell beside the crossed beskads of her parents. Even in death, the shadow of their shame fell over her. Yet, unlike them, her blood spilled onto Manda'yaim, the water of life draining into the soil that would one day be rejuvenated and see the rise of Mandalorians to what they had once been. To what they should always have been.

 

[Vilaz Munin]

Location: Raxis Territory
Allies: [member="Briika Tor"], [member="Dral Tal'Verda"] [member="Caius Fett"], @TheKiddos
Enemies: [member="Gray Raxis"]
Gear:

Spoiler

• Armor
• Beskad
• Pistols
• Knife
• Rifle

"Raxis!"​

​

The Akaan yelled out to the Mandalorian, plagued by the forsaken Force, that was making way for the brave, young Mandalorian soldiers. Soldiers which his beloved wife would attend to and bring them somewhere where she could alleviate their wounds, and have them somewhat stabled.​

​

"You and that damnation of the Force are not welcome here, and were foolish to come. Now you'll face yout fate."​

​

Vilaz and Ra shared many values before and during the Civil War. One was that they were both angry. Angry from the lack of loyalty that most warriors had for their Mand'alor. The Munin had faced it when he took over after the Omega Crisis, and again during these times. But there was a major difference between them. One was rational; the other radical. ​

​

The latter being Vilaz which he showed without shame.​

​

"Caius, Dral," the Concordian relayed to his lieutenants, "engage the others. No quarter."​

​

The Akaan would activate his repulsorpack and close the chasm between him and Gray with his assault rifle out, and shooting the Clan Father of Clan Raxis with blaster bolts in triple burst.​

 

[Briika Munin]

Location: Raxis Territory
Allies: DW @Kalyr Alor, [member="Narir Tracyn"] [member="Daral Tal'Verda"] [member="Caius Fett"]
Enemies: Insurrectionists
Friend/Enemy: Raxis Clan

There was so much going on it was really confusing in all, but Briika kept her focus on her young patient, [member="Yasha Mantis"], where it should be despite the chaos continuing to give urgent first aid to her; airway support, fluids, drugs. Even as the giant bear seen earlier ripping into rebel fighters came back and flipped up a wrecked speeder providing shelter from enemy fire, the silver-armored baar'ur only briefly acknowledge the form of a woman that the fierce animal had changed into; keen azure eyes hidden behind her dark red tinted T-viser noting the wounds she had sustained.

[ Vor entyc, ner vod... Here. ] Bree said to [member="Malika Mantis"], tossing over bacta patches for her to aid herself.

[member="Kaden Farr"] was doing an admirable job keeping his young self together despite being wounded himself. Yes, Briika saw a tattered bacta patch on the meat of his shoulder. She made a decision. The youngest Mantis' condition was grave, and she needed more care than Bree could give her in the field, otherwise the girl would die before the slow moving Kay'calyr-class bes'uliik could get them back to the Fortress. Plus, it was under fire and firing back at a pocket of insurgents.

A ship landed nearby in a snow covered clearing that [member="Gray Raxis"] had bailed out of. It had the symbol of a medical transport painted on it. Perfect timing. Briika gaged the battlefield sitrep by looking over the top of the wrecked speeder, then tapped Kaden on his good shoulder after dropping back down. [ Change of plan, ad'ika... We are going to commandeer that medevac to get Yasha more advanced medical care. ] she said, then peered over to the woman again. [ You can come or stay, but we are moving on three. There is no more time to waste here with life in the balance. ]

Briika removed the dinu'ul from her left gauntlet and put it on the boy's arm wrap, then activated it giving he and his charge a shield. She gave an affirming nod, then finger counted to three before fully rising up from behind the mag shift shelter with her "Kath Hound" ready to blast their way onto the ship if need be; motioning for Kaden to move out behind her as well as the woman if she cared to.

[ Vil'ika... I'm taking the ship and getting out of here with our wounded. Oya, ner cyare. ] Bree called to her husband over their private channel as she lead the way to the medevac while he and his men engaged Gray. The ship would either take them to the Fortress or she'd make it.

 

[Stardust Solus Skirae]

Location-the city
Objective-rescue of art and people
Enemies-tbh
Allied- no one shooting at me?

In was all quiet...relatively with blaster fire, rockets, and soon a giant bloody balalisk flying over head, she watched a body dangling from it with sickening noises and that voice...it made her shiver listening as he announced the rebel leaders death. Stardust felt a sort of relief know she was dead but knew the battle wasn't over...far from in fact

Moving into the city fully she looked around carefully as she stopped and a raxis troop spoke up

ma'am why are we continuing? The battle is all but over soon.

Stardist turned looking to the soldier, he sounded young possibly scared even as she placed a hand on his shoulder

we still need to get the art and those who are trying to escape out, their battle is over ours isn't

With that she turned and began moving again slowly and surely they'd make way, she only hoped they wouldn't be shot on sight....she sighed to herself as she could see the museum within sight, so close yet so far

 

[Zef Halo]

ENGAGING RAXIS
RAXIS TERRITORY

Not long after one of the ships was downed did [member="Vilaz Munin"] call the men to engage the newly arrived Raxis headed by none other than their Alor. Caius did not require much thinking before following the given orders. Raxis had a history of Force Users, as far as he remembered.

The clan had to start on a clean slate. Today.

Their ranks to be purified of the disease.

And Caius would do the honor.

A hilt materialized in his right hand, a silent click followed and the hilt expanded into a full-length bevii'ragir made of beskar. Stance was quickly taken, aim supported by the HUD's targeting system and off he sent the spear at the nearest Raxis Mandalorian with tremendous power. Fett would not waste another second observing the result. Repulsorpack kicked in and blasted him off in the direction of another Raxis.

Beskad in hand and like a charging bull, Caius was in the fray. All guns blazing.

Unbeknownst to him, his actions would give a [member="Briika Tor-Munin"] a temporary safe passage to the ship they were headed to.

[member="Daral Tal'Verda"] | @TheKiddos​

​

[member="Gray Raxis"]​

 

[Kiegan Lysle]

Location: Spaceport
Objective: Celebrate
Allies: [member="Tal Vizsla"]
Enemies: [member="Mira Rekali"]

Tahn's teeth ground against one another as he the frustration he felt, disappointment that the battle had lasted too shortly. The heavy end of his axe collapsing into the head of the woman in front of him, smiting her back down into the snow with force. Her visor managed to catch his glimpse a moment before the blow had landed, the Gold Wolf wondered if she had even managed to note his face. Surprise replaced the upset feeling as the woman began to raise, unexpectedly still conscious from the clean blow he had landed.

He could hear the declaration of Mia's defeat in the background but his focus remained straight at the woman, her sad attempt to escape was a desperate attempt to avoid whatever fate Death Watch had for it's enemies.

Tahn respected her instinct to survive, but respect wouldn't help her escape the towering figure as he made his way around to her side.

His heavy foot pressed into her side, lifting the woman up as he dropped her again to face skywards. He wanted to make sure that the woman would recognise who it was that had beaten her, even if it was won by a shot from behind. He wondered to himself if she was even fully conscious as he stared into the visor as she lay against the snow, before holstering the axe back into it's strap on his back.

"Gar're o'r jate'kara." Tahn spoke in a hushed tone, so only the woman would hear. "You get to survive today."

A metallic foot lifted into the air with the intention of coming down on the girl's helmet, the heavy foot of the massive man fell with the intent of knocking out the woman.

 

[Writer]

Location: Spaceport

Objective: …..?!

Allies: None. They’re all dead, captured or unconscious.

Enemies: The boot of [member="Tahn Vizsla"].

She felt the boot touch her side, causing her to briefly seize and cease her forward movement. With a disgruntled sigh, Mira allowed herself to be flipped onto her back to face her attacker. She stared up through the broken visor, crimson eyes narrowing at the Gold Wolf. She watched his movements with the axe, waiting with bated breath for the inevitable downswing – but it never came.

She struggled against the darkness that threatened the corners of her vision as he said something that sounded distant and faded. Her last conscious thought would be to the choice she made while the last image she would remember would be a boot coming down onto her face and then nothing.

For the part Mira Rekali played in all of this was now over.

The impact was painful but quick, as she let out a yelp and was silenced into unconsciousness. Her body jerked and then fell completely limp in the snow as she lost all ability to fight off the darkness anymore.

 

[Ra Vizsla]

Location: Peak of the Mountain Fortress
Enemies: Dead.


Heave.

Ho.

Heave.

Ho.


Chains began to rattle as Ra walked upon the peak of the mountain, slamming his helmet down on a rock as he continued to pull at the chains. Black Sky sat off in the distance, it's metal growling barely heard above the harsh mountain winds. Ra came here for clarity, when he had visited Cold Iron as Mand'alor during the Crusades. He always had enjoyed nature, especially that of Mandalore. Her beauty was unrivaled in the eyes of the Undying.

Yet tonight, Ra came here for solace. For closure.

For justice.

He dropped one of the massive chains on the ground, wiping his frosty brow and looking over near his basilisk.

"We used to be of the same mind, you and I." It was not quite clear who he was talking to, but at this point, one could likely assume. "Alor Vereen, you remember him? He told me one time, do you know what he said - I do not kneel."

Ra picked up the other side of the chain. "When I sought confirmation by the Council. It seemed a silly thing to say at time. He told me this, after I had felled his family, his friends, defeated any challenger who dare assume the Mantle, proven myself worthy among the Clans as Sole Ruler. After I subjugated Clan Verd with only the whisper of my arrival. After I tore the last dying breath from the Republic, after I ripped the bleeding heart from Arasuum's chest.

I alone did these things. I alone brought FEAR and RESPECT to Mandalore. And yet he stood in front of me, and said... 'I do not kneel.'

We are a defiant people. I always understood this. I looked him in his eyes, and I said...

We don't kneel."​

​

Ra's piercing green eyes looked into Mia's own dying gaze.​

​

"I release you, Mia Monroe, from the blood oath you swore to Manda'yaim. Do not worry,"​

​

Ra picked the chain up and began dragging it to the mountain's edge.​

​

"...I will not fail us."​

​

And he threw the bulk of the chain over the cliff's edge.​

​

When the majority of it had fallen, the end that was clasped around Mia's neck​

​

would yank her off the peak​

​

and hang her dying body in front of the entrance to the fortress.​

​

​

​

Ra would be content to leave her body there for the night, before commanding she be taken down for a proper Mandalorian funeral.​

 

[Preliat Mantis]

Location: Mountain Fortress
With: Sole Ruler

With the end now hanging near the mouth of the lair of the beast- the beast being the Undying. Preliat watched him work over her body, and stood a respectful distance away. He was given solace with his end to Jasper. He gave the Mandalore the same respect. When he released Mia's body, and stood tall. He was regal. He was powerful. He was tall, mighty, and in control.

But something whispered in Preliat's mind. Fingers along his soul pulled him, soldier's instincts told him something was wrong with the Undying. Something he did- yes. Something that they all did. This war cost them all something. Preliat more than most. But something was bothering the Wolf for quite some time now. A fact, a conversation, words left unsaid. Perhaps they were left unsaid due to circumstance. But now with no other distractions, and the solace of the Wolf and the Undying, Preliat found the time, and courage to say them.

"You- You died. I remembered your death. I am certain that you did not pass like most- no. You are not touched by the force, no chance for some spell or ritual, there was no...chamber, no medicine in which you fled to for life..."

Preliat's face, his helmet cracked, broken in by Jasper's strong blows, and his face permanently scarred by his own blade- flashed as much as it could into a scowl. He began to close the distance between the two. Preliat wasn't as tall as the Mandalore was, but he weighed as much. He would take his chances in a fight with the Undying- if it came to it.

"And yet life clings to you like a disease. So tell me, Sole Ruler- how did you climb from the Nether to the land of the living once more?"

[member="Ra Vizsla"]

 

[Nisha Decrilla]

Location: Raxis Terrirtory
Objective: Get the kids out, help save Yasha
Allies: [member="Vilaz Munin"] [member="Daral Tal'Verda"] [member="Caius Fett"]
Enemies: whoever gets in the way

Mailka scooped up the patches gratefully, fixing them in place on her shoulder, thigh and side, eyes flicking constantly back to Yasha, fear squeezing her heart. HAd she come all this way to watch another child die? The thought made her stomach churn, her jaw tightened and she moved towards [member="Kaden"] Far and [member="Briika Tor-Munin"], the snow around their knees stained red with Yasha’s blood.

There was so much of it.

Yasha’s pale face glistened and the image of her own dying son, flashed across her mind’s eye. No! Not that! Do not think of that! She swallowed, and looked at Briika careful to keep the fear from her face for Kaden’s sake, though the medic would see it in her eyes. “I’m with you. Not letting my niece out of my sight.”

Her eyes scanned the battle, looking for the other youngster she’d seen. Where was [member="Narir Tracyn"]? She’d snatch him if she passed him, tugging him to the ship as well. It was time to go. The ad’ika’s had done enough.

 

[Kiegan Lysle]

Location: Spaceport
Objective: Get to celebrating
Body slung over shoulder: [member="Mira Rekali"]

A quick jolt of the girl's body as his boot came crashing down to her face told him that any consciousness she had left drained from her as her head was crushed between his boot and the ground, an unwilling noise sputtering from the girl as his heel smashed into her.

And like that the final of Mia's supporters had been defeated.

His gaze turned towards the excitement Ra had spurred, watching as he dropped Mia Monroe from the side of the cliffs. The war had been finished and soon all of Mandalore would be free of the force's corrupting weakness.

The giant knelt down next to the girl as his hands pulled the buy'ce from her head, attempting to see if he would recognize the girl as a force user. As the brown hair fell from it's place in the helmet, he gave a resigned grunt as he grabbed the woman's arm. He raised the unconscious body alongside himself, a deft movement bringing her upon his should as he turned towards his celebrating comrades.

Tahn began marching through the snow as the girl dangled from his shoulder, bringing her towards those that were her enemies. If she had no gift of the force then she would be free to join Death Watch, if not she would be made to.

 

[Ra Vizsla]

[member="Preliat Mantis"]

As Mia's body swayed on the skyline, Ra walked over to where he had placed his helmet and sat down next to it. He could feel Preliat's bristling, as if threatened. The Mantis Wolf was seeming aggressive - Ra didn't address it directly with any specific gesture.

The faint cheering of Death Watch within the fortress could be heard behind the howl of the mountain's harsh winds.

"You- You died. I remembered your death. I am certain that you did not pass like most- no. You are not touched by the force, no chance for some spell or ritual, there was no...chamber, no medicine in which you fled to for life..."

Ra gave a hearty laugh. "Saw my death, did you, brother?" He began unclasping a canteen, and began to drink from it. "I only remember seeing white, nothing else. Had to hear about it at the infirmary on Echoy'la, months after it had happened. Didn't feel like digging me out, is that it? Don't really blame you," Ra gasped, hydrating himself, wincing gently at the pain from his wounds. "I hear it was quite the sight to behold. Mand'alor and his Crusade, bowed before the might of... snow!" Ra laughed, weezing, but then appeared somber by a thought. "A rather unfitting end to all we had accomplished."

He stood, walking to Preliat. Ra wanted to calm this man's mind, he was clearly still suffering from the adrenaline of the battle. Few had the chance to express their discomfort towards Ra, he was Mand'alor. The station of the Undying did not permit such openness in front of the other Mando'ade.

Yet a loyal man like the Wolf of Mantis deserved his own closure.

"And yet life clings to you like a disease. So tell me, Sole Ruler- how did you climb from the Nether to the land of the living once more?"

"This... is not a disease," Ra said calmly, touching his chest. "You have already been given the answer of the how, but I believe what you're asking now is the why.

Of all Mand'alors who have died for Manda'yaim, why me? Why Ra?

​

I don't know. I wish I had the answer to that question, vod. I'll tell you what I do know, though.​

​

She was in pain,"​

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Ra gestured to the very earth they stood upon.​

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"And when our Great Mother cried out for help..."​

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Ra turned his back to Preliat and began walking towards the edge of the mountain, his jetpack beginning to fire ignition bursts.​

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"...I answered."​

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He dropped off the side, near the chain,​

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heading down to join the Fortress and​

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show his people that the Undying still lived.​

 

[Preliat Mantis]

Location: Fortress
Formerly with [member="Ra Vizsla"]

One half of Preliat was inclined to believe the undying. But he felt something off when he came near, closer than Preliat had ever been to the undying. A familiar feeling, one which he could not truthfully place washed over the Wolf. He blinked, watching the undying. There was something...wrong. He watched him depart, and said nothing as the silence occupied the space, filled with only the distant murmur of war cries and victorious chants. He stood at the edge of the platform they were on, and watched the ravaged Earth that Ra was so proud to proclaim he saved. To Preliat, he only saved himself a spot on a throne. This world had enough of so-called saviors. Ra was not much different than Mia and her conspirators- he did not burn the planet, but he burned the people on it.

The wind bit at his barren, bleeding face. They stood victorious, the rulers of Mandalore. Death Watch stood above all, above the traitors, and the Liberator dead. But Preliat could not shake the feeling that something was wrong. Something was afoot, some evil lurking beneath the surface, beneath it all.

His mind exploded with pain. A web of it strung across his face, what was left of the nerves in his head awash with a fiery pain. His hands dug into his skin. It wasn't just his head that hurt...

It was his soul.

Something called to him, a mocking, amused tone.

Someone from the void.

His body tensed, and his eyes shot upwards. They turned a cyan blue, and his body convulsed, every muscles contracting at once. He fell to his knees, and felt whatever it was subside. He stood up again, looking around. The world felt different. He saw things in a different hue, for a moment. Something about Ra's presence near him, awakened something in him, stirred something in the Wolf. That much he knew.

But what it was- he couldn't exactly say.

For the first time in many years, Preliat felt true, absolute fear.

 

[Yasha Cadera]

Yasha’s comatose body was lifted by her best friend [member="Kaden Farr"]. It was heavier than a human girl her size would have been, her Epicanthix roots presenting in the amount of inherited muscle tone. Her genetic inheritance was the reason her body hadn’t given way to injury, to the death Aditya’s shadow prayed for. Begged for.

Yasha Mantis’ heartbeat stopped.

“Yasha, come to Mama. Come,Yasha. Mama needs you, Yasha, come home now. This world is too big for you. You’re not strong, honey. You’re surviving on other people’s good graces. They won’t let you forever, you’re getting people hurt. Ra, your Daddy, Uncle Silas. They’re all going to get hurt because you’re not coming home.” Aditya wrapped her ethereal arms around her unconscious daughter, a mirage of a dying mind. Yasha’s body went slack in [member="Kaden Farr"]’s arms.

“Mama... I’m scared, Mama. Didn’t want anyone to get hurt for me. Not for your Yasha.”

“Come hide. It’s okay, they’ll forgive you if you hide.” Aditya’s ghost whispered of the delight of hiding in her unconscious daughter’s ear, soothing with lullabies the girl longed to hear one more time. Yet there was a tug on the Mantis child.

Another tug.

[member="Briika Tor-Munin"] was working. Yasha’s body was somewhere warm. [member="Gray Raxis"] must have succeeded in letting them use his ship. Save a young life. [member="Malika Mantis"] was near, her radiant warmth bathing Yasha’s face and side.

“Mama, I can’t hide.”

“Yasha...”

“Daddy won’t make it if I hide. Uncle [member="Silas Mantis"] will be heartbroken, he promised to take Kaden and I hunting again. [member="Preliat Mantis"] promised to take my friends and I on adventures. [member="Ra Vizsla"] is teaching me to stand tall and speak Mando’a without a stutter. To lead my friends. I goofed but... I can’t hide. I’m sorry Mama. I’m sorry I don’t get to see you and Eli. I’m sorry you got dead, but... your Yasha can’t hide. I love you Mama. It’s okay now, Mama. Daddy and Ra are killing the traitor. They’re avenging your death. You and Eli need to find Babuir @Ordo. Daddy killed him so you’d have a friend in Hell. Goodbye Mama.”

“YASHA!!!”

A weak and fleeting heartbeat restarted. The war was over. Yasha Mantis would never hide.
Yasha Mantis’ condition chimes on her father’s armour. Something was wrong.