Private Gunpowder [Asha]

[Djonas Vile]

img src: Phillip A. Urlich

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Between the fantastical cities of Yedagon, a state of Adumar, lies lush forests and beautiful plains. The same could be said about any of the Adumari states in truth. Yedagon did have something the others did not currently have, however. At this very moment, the forests of Yedagon were currently being stalked by the legendary Gray Paladin Djonas Vile. Like a predator on the heels of his prey, he sprinted through the forest, taking care to keep an eye out for his target.

The farumme mating season was in full effect. Lounges of farumme roamed through the forests. Their scales, bright and colorful to attract mates, shined in the sun. But, these average farumme were not the reason behind Djonas roaming the forests, slugthrower in hand. No, there was something more.

The farumme had an alpha.

One that was causing enough trouble that Yedagon had put out a bounty on the beast. Many Adumari had tried their hand to slay the farumme alpha, and none returned. It was pure luck that Djonas was on Adumar to acquire a new weapon prototype when he heard of the bounty. It would be perfect target practice for him to test out his new gun. It felt good in his hands as he ran with it. The grip was firm, yet comfortable, and it was light but did not feel cheap. He lived for moments like this. There was a sort of peace that came with the hunt. Anything would feel that way if it was away from the wars of the galaxy. Even the most brief of escapes felt like an eternity in these times.

For now, Djonas' only thought was to put an end to Yedagon's troubles by any means.

Asha Hex​

 

[Asha Sar'andor]

Though for the most part she'd set aside the grunt work involved with running the Blue Crest, that was, making landfall on planets half way across the Galaxy from her usual stomping ground, there was something about slave recovery that she'd never been able to avoid. When last she'd attempted similar it had not gone so smoothly. The girl had been too quick to jump on the issue, and she'd ignored even her own protocol to track the slavers down in hopes of bringing them to justice.

She couldn't help herself, there had been Cathar no older than Rhia had been when she'd first come to them so many moons ago among their ranks. Asha would not permit such. But she'd gone by herself, without backup, and that was a mistake.

This time it had been far more smooth a recovery. Minimal casualties, and even then no loss of life. Slavers detained, and brought back to Adumar to face justice for their crimes against their people. She was tired, some might argue outright exhausted, and she'd gained a couple of new scars herself, but it didn't matter. She'd overseen their safe return herself, and after such a long and harrowing journey she'd decided to take some time to unwind.

No hiding her feelings, no striving to avoid all that had happened, she simply... Needed to breathe. Clean, fresh air. Away from the ship she'd felt stuffy inside of the last leg of the journey.

So she'd ventured out into the plains while the volunteers took a well earned rest, and stretched her legs. Breathed it all in. As of late she'd felt much more unburdened; it wasn't perfect, of course, but ever since coming clean to Cotan Sar'andor about her past a weight had certainly lifted. A sense of security had formed.

She'd already sent him a full report on their progress, and she'd already given him a quick holo-call on the way over so he knew she was good and safe. Communication: important.

Nothing to do. No one to contact.

She made her way into the throws of a deliciously scented forest, and therein found a nice log to sit herself upon. Here and there some of the native fauna skittered, but for the most part they paid her no heed. Asha merely observed, stretched out, then considered setting a pot of tea to boil. After all, was it really an Asha-relaxes kind of day without her teapot?

Djonas Vile

 

[Djonas Vile]

Djonas heaved himself over a massive fallen log to find large tracks before him. They were much larger than the ones made by the traditional farumme. Dropping to one knee, Djonas reached out towards the tracks as he studied them. "5. Maybe 6 minutes away." he said beneath his breath. He looked ahead and stared in amazement at the destruction wrought by the farumme alpha. Trees were torn in half and strewn across the path which the beast took.

The Thyrsian rose back to his feet and let out a sigh followed by a sly smirk. "Probably can ask for double for this one." He continued running along the path after the farumme alpha. The streaks of sunlight piercing the veil of green leaves in the canopy created a shower of light down the path. Larger beams of light were caused by the alpha. It is a wonder how such a beast came to be in what seemed to be out of the blue. Djonas thought about the possibilities as he was coming upon a lake. The roar of the waterfall that poured down drowned out the natural sounds of the forest.

"Tracks end up here. Must have crossed the lake for a quick dip then continued on the other side." He thought to himself. He made his way to the opposite side of the lake and starting looking for the continuation of the farumme's tracks, but found nothing. He was baffled. One would assume it to be impossible for anything to cover that creature's tracks. Not even if it was smart enough to. It had no reason. Djonas looked out deeper into the forest for a sign, but saw nothing.

It was at this moment that the waters of the lake were disturbed by something other than the waterfall. A large mound of flesh and scale rose from the lake behind Djonas. It's maw opened up revealing a hundred teeth as the beast roared out at the sight of Djonas. It was a vicious shriek that echoed across Yedagon's forests. Djonas quickly turned around upon having his ears pierced by the beast's cry. Quickly, he pulled his gun up and squeezed the trigger, letting loose a slug at the beast. It pierced the flesh of the farumme alpha, but did not seem to phase it. If anything, it appeared to grow more aggravated.

"Chit." Djonas lowered his weapon and looked upon the beast. They locked eyes for a moment before the farumme charged out of the water at Djonas who then took off running into the forest. Allowing the Force to guide him, he ran and ran, ducking below low branches, rolling over logs, and leaping over boulders with grace and ease as the alpha continued the chase. Every so often, Djonas would turn back to take a shot at the beast, but, the ones he managed to hit, did not even slow the beast down. As he ran, Djonas attempted to formulate ideas on what he could do to stop the beast all while trying to not die in a place where his body would not be found.

Asha Hex ​

 

[Asha Sar'andor]

Her boots had been kicked off, and subsequently she found her toes curling into the soft tendrils of grass which sprouted up from within the slightly loamy soil. She reached out through the Force into the ground beneath her feet, and focused her senses on all that lay within it, much in the way Sargon had once shown her when first they'd met. Back then Asha wasn't much of a sensory person, in fact she didn't really have any one thing she focused on, drawing from a bunch of sources, but after meeting the Iridonian?

Well, all of that had changed. He'd shown her the tiniest creatures in existence, housed within the depths of Korriban's sands, as well as the vast expanse of space - not so much a vacuous void as one might imagine, through the Force it was brimming with life pulled from each of the worlds held within it. Bright gaseous stars, planets, asteroids, each with their own presence, each as bright as the last. Even Korriban had not seemed so foreboding there.

Now she did the same, shrinking her presence into the soil and feeling each of the bugs which skittered here and there. By her side a small teapot was left to steep, the scent of it wafting up and tantalizing her other senses. Keeping her a little more grounded to the present than she otherwise might have been. The further she reached, however, the more something began to feel amiss. Thunderous steps were making their way toward her, she could feel the vibrations through the earth and sense the way in which it caused whole colonies to shift and adjust to it.

Latching on to it, she followed through the Force as the large Alpha beast chased after something which had caught its attention; then she focused on whatever that was. A man, bright in the Force, seemed to be its target.

Drawing back from her mind, Asha rose - shoes and teapot temporarily forgotten - and began to venture off through the forest in their direction. Soon enough she too could feel the tree-shaking power of the creature's footfalls for herself, and in the near distance could watch as trees were toppled on its approach. The girl braced herself for when their paths converged, already beginning to draw upon the Force in preparation for soothing the beast...

Djonas Vile

 

[Djonas Vile]

The thunderous boom of the beast grew closer and closer and Djonas was running low on ideas. A thought passed his mind to pull out his lightsaber and cut the beast down. But, that would be too easy. The point of the hunt is to challenge oneself. It is the journey and not the destination as one says. Though, this was turning into one long and tiring journey.

Up ahead, Djonas spotted a curious woman, hair like embers and a gaze that appeared completely unaware of what was coming behind the running Thyrsian. he waved his hand at her, trying to signal her to get out of the way. "Run! Run now!" he called out. He was not expecting others to be out int he wilderness. He figured fear of the alpha would keep any non-hunters clear of the area. He would have to improvise something. If only he had configured some kind of trap beforehand in case this situation happened. Lesson learned for next time.

Djonas often found himself in spots where he had to think quick on his feet, make split decisions without given a chance to plan them out fully. A large tree caught his eye. This one much more broad than the rest. It had to be an old tree based on it's size. He would use that to his advantage. Djonas quickly changed his path from the woman and headed towards the tree. Once he met it's roots, he began running up them until he met it's truck. Without hesitation, he began running up the length of the tree with unforeseen grace. He then ushered in the power to leap upwards and grab hold of a branch several feet above him.

By time the alpha had caught up to him, Djonas was already pulled up into the tree. Djonas would have to keep the beast's attention long enough for the woman to run off to safety, though. He started taking more shots at the beast. It was definitely hurt at this point, but the alpha was not slowing down. Djonas was not able to tell if it was just animal instincts driving the beast or pure anger at him for putting holes into it's colorful hide.

Either way, Djonas was not going to relent. There was warrior's blood coursing through him. To surrender was not an option. He was not proud to 'hide' or 'run' from the beast, but he knew sometimes, a different approach is necessary when facing overwhelming odds.

Asha Vynea ​

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[Asha Sar'andor]

Blissfully unaware of the challenge the man had set himself, and seeing only a stampeding alpha chasing him with a vengeance, Asha did not, in fact, run now. She picked up the pace alright, but she moved toward them, not away from them, and when she noticed the change in his pathing she adjusted her own to try and intercept them.​

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He reached the tree before she did, and the beast was hot on his heels. Various shots were loosed at the creature, doing little to its hide. It wouldn't be long, she reckoned, before it had the tree down entirely. Trampling him underfoot with it, or worse making use of that great maw.​

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"Enough" her voice boomed, an unnaturally commanding tone breaking out from her pulsed by the Force toward the creature. Typically Asha was a soft spoken individual, her words were carried like leaves on a spring breeze, but these were not usual circumstances and the Force did as it willed. Already she was working her way into its mind, beyond just that word alone, and with the Force as her ally she hoped it would not take long to command the beast.​

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Either way she had it turning toward her, no longer completely focused on its quarry.​

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One hand raised and she held it out toward it, akin to the way one might a bucking horse, "Sleep" she commanded this time, and that word echoed between their minds continually thereafter.​

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Whether or not it would work? Well.. That was difficult to know. This wasn't your average creature, after all.​

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Djonas Vile ​