Public Scars of Remembrance

[Cordé Sabo]

______________________________________________________________
TASK FORCE NULL OPERATOR
D U L C E T
NABOO | RELGIM SECTOR | ORD TRASI | JEDNA
..OPEN TO INTERACTION..
______________________________________________________________​

Impressive. Even through the ruins, the jubilance of the day ricocheted from the walls of the state. It had once been gorgeous, but now it was...ruins. Salvaged, but ruins.

Naboo operated outside of Alliance jurisdiction, but it was not outside of The Alliance’s interest. Nor were the rumours that drew Cordé, or rather, assigned Cordé to attend the Sal-Soren ceremony.

“Naboo.” Cordé answered the girl on behalf of the man with the bounty on his head. Her hand twitched for her sidearm, but instead she made a gesture to steer the girl from the collection of elite guards and the warlord they protected.

As far as anyone was concerned, Cordé was undecorated by the SIA, or The Alliance, during her attendance.

Sularen, was not. He bore the same insignia of the slavers that had overtaken the camps on Xa Fel. Cordé’s glare bore at him, but she willed her self control. Through clenched teeth, she spoke:

“A long way from where he’s safe.”

The Twi’lek seemed delirious. A high-level assessment based on two things:

One — try and approach a well-guarded area. Thankfully, she was so out of it she hadn’t got close enough to be heard. Or so it seemed.

Two — she didn’t know which planet it was.

As a medic, her first creed was to provide aid.

“Are you feeling alright?”

______________________________________________________________
IMPLEMENT: PENDING...
GRAY/prozimity: Unblessed | A'Runda
ANTAG: PENDING... Marlon Sularen
______________________________________________________________

​

Spoiler: Forgot to roll dice, oops

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Wearing: XoXo
Equipment: Lightsaber
Location: Unknown
Tag: Brandyn Sal-Soren , Velda Nar-Donna , Aiden Rennek , Blaire Sal-Soren

As she and Aiden set off to find her sister, a sudden twinge in her gut went off with warning. Through her years of training alongside Valery, and her experiences during the war, Briana had long learned to trust that feeling and reached out in an effort to locate its source - uncertain if it was somehow connected to Brandyn.

Then, all at once, the sky around her darkened, as though the day had suddenly come to a premature end. Aiden, who'd stood beside her just moments before, vanished without a trace and the jubilant clamor of celebrations instantaneously dissolved into a haunting stillness, whisked away and replaced by a scene of dire familiarity that’d been set before her wide eyes- a beleaguered city, held hostage in the jaws of chaos.

Plumes of acrid smoke billowed from the heart of the metropolis, obscuring the sky. The streets that'd echoed with laughter and life now resounded with anguished cries, a chorus of despair that mingled with the macabre symphony of blood that flowed with reckless abandon like a river unleashed.

The apocalyptic hellscape bore uncanny similarities to the Cataclysm she’d been witness to in the past, yet there was an unmistakable aura of otherness, an intangible quality that set it apart from those haunting memories that whispered of darker secrets concealed beneath the surface, lurking in the shadows of this twisted reality.

Undaunted by the desolation surrounding her, Briana's fingers clenched around the hilt of her saber, its vibrant blade bursting to life like a bright blue beacon of defiance. With unwavering determination, she pressed forward, resolute in her refusal to succumb once more to the gaping wounds of her past. Each resounding step upon the jagged remnants of shattered glass and strewn debris, a testament to her unyielding spirit, propelling her ever closer to the enigmatic force that’d beckoned her presence.

As if sensing her resolve, the very fabric of her surroundings began to warp and contort around her with nauseating speed. The familiar buildings that’d stood tall and proud, morphed into a maelstrom of visions until it took the solid form of another memory onboard the freighter she and her companions had stormed above Exegol, presenting itself as an echo of both past and future.

Ahead of her was the presence she’d been searching for, or rather, the presence that’d been searching for her. Ensnared by a velvet phantom of dark red and black miasma, both captivating and entirely repulsive. Briana watched as it assumed the guise of a woman- a mirage of perverse grace, constricting its hapless victim in a coil of corruption that threatened to consume their essence.

The air around them both crackled with a malignant energy as the phantom's hold tightened, slowly recognizing with horrifying clarity whom exactly this victim was.

“Brandyn!” she cried out, her voice laced with equal parts fear and determination as she rushed forwards, headless of whatever consequences came.

Leaping high into the air she positioned her blade to strike with devastating might, bringing it down with Force-imbued strength upon the shadowy woman’s delicate neck in a desperate bid to sever whatever hold this phantom held over her brother.

 

[Brandyn Sal-Soren]

Equipment: Lightsaber
Location: Dreamscape
Tag: Velda Nar-Donna Briana Sal-Soren Cybelle Elyance

He had to know the answer. Who was this woman that had been haunting his dreams? Who was this woman that had been showing him a future of enticing darkness? His eyes were ripped away from her dark form by the approaching of another...an intruder.

The figure that intruded loomed closer upon himself and the dark silhouette. Brandyn pulled out his saber and ignited the blade just as a strike was about to take the Dark One down. The blinding flash of light from his green saber and the attacking blue saber obscured the attackers face for just a moment. They had said his name though. They knew him.

He stepped past the Dark One, pushing beyond her and lashing out with anger fueled strikes on the aggressor. He would not lose this chance to know the truth. He would not be robbed of this moment. Vicious slashes were aimed at the attacker, with every intent to kill or maim. He persisted with every step until a saber lock illuminated the aggressor's face.

"Briana?"

His head shook as he recoiled from his own aggression. The hold of the darkness began to slip from his heart as he realized where he was.

"No..."

 

[Velda Nar-Donna]

​

Wearing: Crimson Cloak with leather capulet​

Equipment: Lightsabers x2​

Tag: Brandyn Sal-Soren | Briana Sal-Soren | Cybelle Elyance ​

​

Who was she? That was what he wanted to know. She was someone who was molded by her father. In secrecy, her very soul had said hello to the night and was lost in the shadows a long, long, time ago. She was a person who had to grow up quickly or she had no chance of ever surviving her training and the true nature of The Force. She was a person, who felt and knew in her blackened heart that Velda and Brandyn were irrevocably linked, their hearts beat in chorus to the songs of war, murder and lust. And their hearts even beat to the song of love. A love that was like tainted saccharine venom.

She was about to answer Brandyn’s question, when she heard the all too familiar sound of the snap hiss of a lightsaber and saw Briana Sal-Soren charging at her. One might muse that the response from Velda would be brutal with such an unbecoming display from their new guest. And yet, it wasn’t, Velda just found herself laughing at Bri from her attempt. So willing to strike her down, so impatient, glorious really.

As Brandyn stopped Bri’s attack, Velda stood behind him. Her mind contemplated the new events as she watched. They must be a dyad, how very interesting. Pushing that aside for now, she answered Brandyn’s question "You know who I am, search deep into your feelings, you know."

Even with that though, she mused over the idea that she might as well tell him. And bringing her hand up to her hood, she slowly pulled her hood down, and the dark exotic features of Velda's look came out of the shadows.

Then she went on, about him. "The question is, love, who are you??" And she went on further. "And who is Cy?? Are you in love with the idea you have in your head of her? Or do you love who she actually is?? A person who holds a secret she would never tell you about? Surely, you’ve felt it? How could you love someone who is linked to somebody else, and she does not even extend you the decency of telling you?"

Oh yes, as Velda bowed out of the scene of that cursed bulk freighter. She spotted Cybelle, at a distance, and the woman was in horrible shape, she knew who she encountered, and she had Jareth. She didn’t know for sure, but she had a strong feeling an essence transfer happened.

The child was not of course, for that shadowed sith to attempt to vanquish. And such a transgression, shall be addressed the next time when and if Velda ever encounters him once more. If only for that rather rude exit he made earlier in their personal battle. No, Velda, had not forgotten that.

She turned her attention back to Bri. And she spoke softly in Brandyn's ear. "Is it not odd how Bri, always seems to be your father's favorite?" She let that question simmer. "Always wanting to be better than you. And here she is, hoping to keep you in Ashla's spiritual shackles. When all I am attempting to do, is free you…"

Velda's next line was vicious but carried itself with such a soft sweet sway, as Velda's breath sailed over Brandyn's ear while she spoke. "Kill her…" She said watching Bri with a mischievous grin, her brown eyes narrowing. "It's just a dream, She is just a figment of your imagination. She'll never remember…." Which was of course, a lie, she very well might remember. And if he succeeds...

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Wearing: XoXo
Equipment: Lightsaber
Location: Unknown, Dreamscape
Tag: Brandyn Sal-Soren , Velda Nar-Donna , Cybelle Elyance

A crackling hiss and hum echoed from the clash of their sabers, reverberating off the metal walls of the dilapidated freighter as she desperately tried to reach her brother, feeling him slip further under the thrall of the dark woman’s insidious influence. Bright blue and emerald streaks danced in a deadly arc, the charged air humming around her. Sweat dripped down her brow as she focused on maintaining her speed and keeping her form tight.

"Brandyn, this isn't real!" she shouted between strikes, gritting her teeth in a mixture of fury and heartache. "You have to snap out of it!"

She continued to parry with her brother, continuously probing his defenses for a weak spot as her voice seemed to have no effect.

"Can’t you feel what this is?! Don’t you realize what she’s trying to do to you!? I’m here, I’m real, and I’m not going to stop fighting for you!" she shouted, the world around them seeming to quake in response, despite the steel thread that bound her brother remaining unbroken—at least for now.

Briana did her best to keep herself composed and focused, but as the taunt of killing her flew from Velda's lips, a fissure split across her careful visage. Their sibling rivalry had always been fierce, but did he truly think she was just another cage, keeping him from realizing his full potential? "No one can define who you are. Not me, not this manipulative apparition standing beside you.” Blades collided and ricocheted with dizzying speed and precision, but for all her agility, Briana could tell she was losing ground quickly. “You have always been strong enough on your own, I never wanted to be better than you! I only ever wanted you to realize what I already knew was there!”

Briefly, she saw what she hoped was a flicker of doubt creep into his darkened eyes and pressed into that doubt, her weight shifting, sliding her right foot forward and dragging the left behind her, lurching forward in an attempt to overpower him - disarm him, if she could manage it.

From behind Brandyn, she heard Velda's venomous whispers slither through the air. She glanced at the dark figure hovering over her brother's shoulder, feeling a wave of revulsion. She herself knew the truth about Cybelle's secret and could guess at the woman's twisted intentions... “Please,” she pleaded, her eyes locking with Brandyn's. "Trust me. Trust us."

 

[Unblessed]

Spoiler: NPC Bio

Name: Rellori

• Species: Twi'lek
• Gender: Female
• Appearance: Rellori has striking green skin and long, flowing lekku. She has a small frame and bright blue eyes.
• History: Rellorin grew up in poverty on Ryloth, but was rescued by a group of smugglers as a teenager. She eventually joined their crew and became a skilled pilot and mechanic.
• Occupation: Smuggler

Marlon Sularen Cordé Sabo [Rolled a 58]

"Naboo?" The increasingly worried Twi'lek muttered, "No...no...not Naboo...that can't be right...no no no...Naboo...no...not Naboo..."

Her hands had taken hold of one of her lekku that was drap across ehr shoulder, and she twisted the end of it around her fingers nervously.

Her blue eyes began to take on a purplish hue as the blood rose up into the small views with her blue orbs. A hacking cough was aimed at the ground.

"Fine...I am fine!" She said in a half-yell half-whisper.

Looking about she sought for a fast exit.

"Don't come near me...you're one of them...yes...one of them..."

 

[Brandyn Sal-Soren]

Wearing: Glitterstim Original
Equipment: Lightsaber
Location: Baros Sal-Soren's safehouse / nightmarescape
Tag: Cybelle Elyance Briana Sal-Soren Velda Nar-Donna Lossa Darcuhl Blaire Sal-Soren etc

Brandyn stumbled back with what felt like a fissure opening up in his head. The dark dreams were at odds with his light path. But the dark woman spoke words that could be left unanswered. They could not be just ignored. If she spoke truth...

Not Cybelle. No. She wouldn't lie to him. She was the most innocent being he ahd ever encountered. The very thought of questioning this brought Branydn to his knees, fingernails digging into his temple.

"Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaar," he screamed, face contorting with an inhuman agony and pain.

"ENOUGH!" He cried as he threw his head back and a wave of concussive Force energy emanated from the schism in his soul. The darkened world about him shattered...

~~~​

Blurry eyes opened, and it took a few moments for Brandyn to realize he was surrounded by Jedi Corps medics. His location took a little longer to register...still in his father's safehouse and on the floor.

"How long has it been?" He said in a scratchy tone.

"Knight Sal-Soren...rest...you must rest..."

"How...long...has...it been?" He said, attempting to prop himself up onto his elbows.

"No more than a quarter of an hour," the medic said reluctantly.

"Help me up," he said, failing to do it under his own steam.

A droid spoke up. "You are in no state to move from this location currently. Recovery is estimated at 24 hours."

Brandyn collapsed back to the floor in frustration. He could feel strength slowly coming back, but it was slow and possibly overblown by his own desire to get to his parents...and Cybelle...and his sisters.

 

[Cybelle Elyance]

Wearing/Equipment: XoXo
Location: Safehouse to...New Way?
Tag: Brandyn Sal-Soren | Baros Sal-Soren Teyla Sal-Soren

Cybelle did not respond.

There was very little that Baros Sal-Soren could say to her as an adult, well-rounded, and fully realized that could get under her skin. Gone were the days when she longed to be a normal, wealthy little girl, where his waspish demeanor toward her might gradually melt. In a different life, star-crossed and paradoxical, there was a very real possibility that she could have looked toward him as a father figure. It was the sad chimes of an orphan—Without blood kin to call her own.

Instead, that mantle had fallen to John Locke and the woman that had thoughtlessly taken her in, protected her, and loved her when she was too childish and distrustful to know how lucky she was. Gianna Aegis had given her a place in the galaxy to call her own. She was a Jedi Master like none other who insisted that kindness ought to be paid forward. Cybelle would never forget that.

It was the only reason, aside from Brandyn, that she could peacefully stomach the chaotic car ride.

Cybelle instinctively drew her hood up when they reached the security checkpoint, though, it didn't seem to matter. Their names rolled from the droid as easily as ink spread on a fresh piece of parchment. No hesitation, no searching, and she felt her jaw lock tightly. "…There goes any element of surprise."

Not that she'd been expecting to keep it.

The tempered brunette remained silent as they rolled through, surprisingly, without incident. Seemingly delicate fingers effortlessly caught the datapad that was lobbed in her direction without ever raising her head. Caramel orbs skimmed in the information, swiftly, memorizing as much intel as she could. It wasn't much but it was more than she'd had five minutes prior. "…She's not human", Cybelle murmured, though, the biography hadn't exactly stated as such.

Great.

It raised the difficulty; however, it was far from impossible. Mrs. Sal-Soren should still exist in the Force as all living things were subject to that status. It would simply be…Muddled. Cybelle could remember her light from the Hapes Gala, her inherent radiance, but it wouldn't be as easy as finding someone she was more familiar with. In this instance—She would search for the null. That which should exist, but, did not. As for the assassin…Droids weren't that difficult to track. They were, however, infinitely more unreasonable simply because they rarely deviated from intended programming.

If its protocols were to kill? It would kill, swiftly. An automaton had no empathy, no capability, to appreciate the value of a beating heart beyond binary relevance. What passed for a soul was merely a clever trick of wires and code.

The promise that Baros suddenly requested did momentarily break her concentration.

It seemed genuine.

Reflective tawny eyes raised toward the elder Sal-Soren and a sadly knowing smile ghosted across primrose lips. There and gone. It was a kindness that she hadn't expected from him, though, the roots were inherently selfish. It didn't change the fact that she knew, that he knew, better than to ask. The life of a Jedi was one of servitude. Of consistently living for others—So that they might know peace.

"…I will do only what must be done, Mr. Sal-Soren. That is all I can offer you."

She couldn't make promises that she had no intention of keeping. It would have been a lie. What wouldn't he have given up to protect his children? To save his wife? If the enemy requested his heart on a plate in exchange for the safety of those he loved…Would he not take it? Her duty was to bring Teyla Sal-Soren home. To bring Baros Sal-Soren to justice. Her love…Her love, her only love in all the universe, only doubled that truth.

Cybelle wouldn't let Brandyn or his siblings lose their parents.

The unnervingly calm Jedi Knight unhooked the restraints from the car and slipped out of the vehicle. The nano-tech in her armored robes flickered like the scales of a snake as it rolled with graceful movements. "If I can't catch your wife's signature in the Force, we might need to get creative. I can hack a terminal easily enough to pinpoint either Mrs. Sal-Soren or the assassin but getting to one might be difficult…Unless you have clearance codes that remain intact."

Her lips pursed, briefly, while she waited for him to collect his things so the mission could begin. No one seemed to be paying them any mind thus far, though, she imagined that wouldn't last. She was an escaped test subject. Surely, the New Way would want their property back for study. Cybelle had very…valid concerns that the New Way might execute Teyla if they entered forcibly.

Booted feet rhythmically tapped the duracrete while the Force began to move through her. Both in preparation for what was to come and the impending sense of danger that kept ringing in the back of her head like cursed bells. The staff entrance wasn't far. "If you want to enter without delay, a ruse is simplest."

"Tell them that I forced you to bring me here, or, present me as a prisoner. They don't know that their cure didn't take for more than a few months."

She paused when a portal slid open and a dozen security personnel rolled out. Something about her stance and demeanor changed, so much so, that she scarcely resembled the sweetling orphan from Naboo. Strength was evident in her every breath. Determination, faith, that burned brightly from her very marrow. Cybelle would enter this stronghold.

One way—Or the other.

"You know them better than I. Choose…Or…I will simply clear a path."

 

[Baros Sal-Soren]

Equipment: Disrupter rifle, vibroknife
Location: Service entrance of E'Eeverwest Estate
Tag: Cybelle Elyance Briana Sal-Soren Blaire Sal-Soren Lily Decoria Marlon Sularen Cordé Sabo SID-10S "Sid" Judah Lesan etc

Damned honourable Jedi. Baros cursed their code internally. It was a code that many of them seemed to flaunt when the feeling struck them, but every now and then you would come across a true-believer. Cybelle was one such Jedi. He could not fault her in that she was unwilling to commit to keeping herself safe at all costs. He wished just for a second that she wouldn't be as perfect a Jedi specimen as she seemed to be.

Again...not surprised that Brandyn fell for her.

He would have to find a way to keep her safe, or at least safer, despite herself. Just like Brandyn, he would rather she be as safe as possible, even if she hated him for it.

"No. She is not human. She is ruthlessly efficient. By the time she has you marked as a threat, she would have already run the odds on every eventuality within her programming. Few come out alive," he said, trailing off into a murmur. Keeping Cybelle away from the assassin was priority number three, behind Teyla's rescue and his children's protection.

Even as they exited the vehicle, and Baros took a moment to grab the case with the disrupter rifle, he listened as Cybelle outlined how she could track Teyla down. Her help would surely be useful. He felt a headache arc up from the base of his neck. Risk her to save Teyla?

He glanced at Cybelle. The young woman showed a youthful defiance that he had once held, but had now been brutally expunged by the vagaries of life.

No. He would not risk her. Even...even if it meant losing Teyla.

His stunk seemed to flip, and his body involuntarily convulsed as if he were about to vomit. Losing Teyla was unacceptable, and his mind recoiled at the thought.

The door slid open and boots against pavement drew his attention.

"They are New Way," he whispered to the Jedi.

Cybelle offered some alternatives to taking down the New Way operatives that had infiltrated the Estate's security detail. He glanced sidelong at her. The moment to decide was upon him.

The guards had already seen and recognized Baros. Whether they were a part of the extremist side of the movement, or one more sympathetic to his own plans, he was unsure.

Given their environment, and the cover they were not keen to blow immediately, their blasters stayed down. At least, Baros hoped that was the case and that he was reading the situation correctly.

Baros stepped forward, hands up in a peace offering. "Urik. Brought you a runaway patient," he said, head tilting towards Cybelle. He only hoped that the typical need-to-know policy for New Way operatives was still in place, and that they were clueless about Teyla's presence within the Estate, and her status as a prisoner.

The leader of the small group glanced at Cybelle, and then back to Baros. "I don't know what you are talking about," he said, though his eyes said the opposite.

Baros stepped forward and started to walk by Urik, but stopped just before his arm was grabbed by the guard. "Where do you think you're going...Sal-Soren?"

"I am going to do my part to make these festivities continue as planned. The longer things are normal...the more it spreads, right?"

After some hesitation, the hand on Baros' arm was released. "Right," he said before nodding towards Cybelle, "show her where to go boys."

Baros glanced back at Cybelle for only a moment to offer a looked of pained apology, before slipping out of sight in the ensuing altercation.

 

[Cordé Sabo]

______________________________________________________________
TASK FORCE NULL OPERATOR
D U L C E T
NABOO | RELGIM SECTOR | ORD TRASI | JEDNA
..OPEN TO INTERACTION..
______________________________________________________________​

Too quick to comprehend, the situation started to devolve. Anxiety riddled the girl, and broken words bubbled out almost incoherently.

Cordé blinked, looked over the Twi'lek's shoulder, and then back at her. Just in time to see the mutation of her eyes. One colour shifted to another, and panic flooded her face.

"Where are you supposed to be, if not Naboo?" She kept her voice calm. One of the first things she had to learn about medicine in the field was keeping a semblance of levelheadedness.

The Twi'lek's distress was fast coming undone. Her desperately fervent glances about to escape indicated she might run. The situation happened so quickly, and was already starting to spiral. How useful would Sion Lorray be right now, to help persuade the girl to remain calm?

Woefully, Cordé held no such empathetic power, and could only use her posture and her carefully chosen words to communicate she meant no harm.

"Don't come near me...you're one of them...yes...one of them..."

"My name is Cordé," she said instead of outright denial. She didn't know who them was. "I'm a medic. I want to help you, you seem confused.

Or, at least get you some water. That coughing sounds like it hurts.

Will you let me help you? Get you some water?"

______________________________________________________________
IMPLEMENT: PENDING...
GRAY/prozimity: Unblessed | A'Runda
ANTAG: PENDING... Marlon Sularen
______________________________________________________________
​

 

[SID-10S "Sid"]

Wearing: A Fresh Coat of Paint
Equipment: These Hands
Location: Exiting Stage Left
Tag: Lily Decoria Lossa Darcuhl

The droid had little patience for the attempt at snatching a weapon. The organic was in a heightened stage of aggression that did not match the setting. Perhaps the Under-Padawan was correct in their assessment of the organic.

Briana would conclude the need to disarm and incapacitate the organic rather than dispatch them. Which made the task all the more annoying.

The lense covers shut and opened within the breath it had taken the organic to step towards the two his owner had entrusted to him. Had designated needed his protection. While he would not go to the same measures if it were Briana, they seemed important enough for his owner to delegate their safety to him.

And he would not fail to meet her expectations.

The woman extended a hand, and the droid met that hand without fail. It was as simple as snatching someone off of a passing speeder. At least it felt that simple to the droid. His manipulator a blur as the extended hand was pulled harshly around the woman as though to hug herself before the other manipulator grabbed for the other wrist and crossed her arms across her chest.

The sharp cry of discomfort unable to register when the woman presented a threat to his VIP's.

"Nothing has been removed from your possession. Cease resisting and you will be taken to a medical facility for appropriate attention by licensed professionals." Arms held tight across their chest to keep them from using their arms to reach nearby organics.

This one had already proven their mental functions were questionable with no obvious sign for reason. Such a similar fate would not fall on those under his protection.

But his owner had been meticulous with the inclusion of a life preservation module. And clear orders to keep from doing harm as best he was able. The option of simply exerting force in the appropriate place and rendering them unconscious was still applicable but would leave bruising given the circumstances.

And she might have frowned at that.

"Ms. Darcuhl, please keep your ocular functions prioritized to the Padawan Decoria." He wasn't exactly in a position to render orders, but holding the assailant from doing harm seemed a priority when it was rationalized against the targets.

"Will you comply?" The droid questioned once more.

 

[Lossa Darcuhl]

Wearing: XoXo
Equipment: Lossa's Lightsaber
Location: Trying to Keep Calm
Tag: Lily Decoria

Lily spoke, presenting some options about their situation as Lossa made to address them in kind.

At least until Sid began to subdue the woman of his own accord. While they were now safe from the woman directly attacking them, she now had to worry what a security droid would condone as an subduing a danger to the public.

"Easy Sid. Feth. Uhh. Let's." She scanned the crowd no gawking in different directions at the interruptions around them. "Let's get her to the hospital at least. Sid. Keep hold of her without hurting her."

Lossa's hand extending to Lily. A smile that went flat at the corners covering her face as she sighed.

"Come on. Briana won't let me hear the end of it if you wander off like she does." She shook her head.

"Briana's a good jedi. Don't get me wrong. But I've seen enough of her in action through holo's to know she doesn't sit around when things start happening." Lossa continued to shake her head, sparing a glance to Sid and nodding forward as Lossa led the way to the hospital she had been in on Naboo.

"Maybe don't take after your teacher like that... or maybe do actually. She could use a little of her own medicine." The half-hearted smile turning to a wicked grin at the thought of Briana chasing Lily down as Valery had perhaps done in the past.

 

[Teyla Sal-Soren]

​

Wearing: XoXo
Equipment: None
Location: Temple of Shiraya, Naboo
Tag: Baros Sal-Soren , Cybelle Elyance , Ariadne

It was only when Ariadne unlatched the window before she left, permitting the light to pour in while simultaneously revealing the sound of her daughter's voice as she recited the words of a speech that she herself crafted for the Cataclysm's memorial, that realization of where she was dawned on her. The Temple of Shiraya, its crystal walls gently reflecting the suns rays with somber incandescence, now stood as a mere shadow of its former glory.

Wayland marble pillars that'd stood as bridges between the heavens and earth, had shattered like fragile dreams crushed underfoot; dark scorch marks stained the walls and the majestic statue of Shiraya, the very embodiment of her cherished moon Goddess that'd stood for over three millennia, laid in a mostly crumbled heap in front of her altar. The half of her face that remained intact was stained with the gold that'd melted from her crown, streaking down her fractured visage in such a way that she appeared weeping. It was in this place that blessings were bestowed upon each of her beloved children, just as it'd been done since ancient times: their names etched forever within the Ee'everwest book of Nobility—bound by blood and purpose beneath their Goddess's protective gaze.

If the New Way had brought her here, it was because they knew the significance of it, they knew whom exactly it would draw. Spurred by love and maternal instinct, Teyla fought with as much effort as her fevered body could muster, pulling against the restraints that began to yield ever so slightly while red welts formed, spikes of roiling nausea and searing pain answering in response.

You have to escape, your family needs you—you have to protect them, you have to.

Sweat dripped down her face as blazing heat pulsed like a drum through her veins, effectively numbing her with each pull and tug, encouraging her to relax as the dying echoes of her daughter's speech faded into stifling silence. She grit her teeth, breathing as evenly as she could while the remaining vestiges of her strength diminished. "No," she whispered, a brush of hot air rolling from her tongue. "It can't end like this."

 

[Ariadne]

Teyla Sal-Soren Briana Sal-Soren Blaire Sal-Soren Velda Nar-Donna Cybelle Elyance Cordé Sabo Lossa Darcuhl SID-10S "Sid" Lily Decoria @etc​

“You possess a great strength of will, Teyla,” Ariadne said, emotionless, “but surely you must know that you cannot undo what has been done.“

The breeze from outside blew Ariadne’s synthetic hair into a mess. Strands of the artificial locks were strewn across her face when she knelt one last time before her most recent kill. “All because you loved a fool,” she said, with an eery calm, “but…I am sure…it was all worth it.”

Uninterested in the answer, the assassin stood without a mutter of exertion, spun on her heels and marched towards the door, which she left open before Teyla. Would anyone be able to hear the Sal-Soren if she were to cry out? Maybe. Either way, Ariadne was on task to insure that the fool would find his way to her one last time.

​

 

[Cybelle Elyance]

Wearing/Equipment: XoXo
Location: Safehouse to...New Way?
Tag: Brandyn Sal-Soren | Baros Sal-Soren | Teyla Sal-Soren

Baros Sal-Soren didn't…Enjoy…Her response.

Unfortunate, expected, and acceptable given the circumstances. Cybelle never thought he would nor was it a requirement. It was simply the fact of the matter. The truth—Undiluted. He wasn't a child and she wouldn't insult his intellect by attempting to sugarcoat what he already knew to be true.

She was a Jedi Knight. Period.

As much as he might have thought like a Father and a Husband at the moment, the reality was, Cybelle could not. She was worried for Brandyn. He had become her everything but that was...Not something she could indulge. Baros required her full focus. The mission. That was all she could see. All she could allow herself to see. She was his warden, keeper, and everything that had to do with serving the side of justice in a world that had forgotten it. She could not be the woman his son loved. She could not think about the fact that it was Brandyn's mother in direct peril. It was her duty to defend those that could not defend themselves. To stand up for what was right no matter the personal cost.

The words the elder Sal-Soren spoke about the assassin confirmed the picture that had begun to form in her mind's eye about their opponents. An automaton that could kill just as fiercely, if not more, than any seasoned soldier? It should have been a terrifying prospect but Cybelle merely accepted it for what it was. She'd held many conversations with droids that held exceedingly clever programming—But they were always missing some fundamental aspect. That which had let humanity endure for an age.

No collection of wires and an expensive processing unit would deter her.

Cybelle, for the moment, followed the lead that Baros provided. It was sufficient…Until she realized that he was trying to silently maneuver her out of the way. Had he lost all sense since pulling into the estate? Had witnessing divided and questionable loyalties made him wonder which side of chasm she stood on? A quick thought, that was reviewed and dismissed with the decidedly pained apology.

He thought he was being a good Father.

…And the smartest dumb person she had EVER met…
​

Her less-than-polite captors brought her within the facility without any difficulty. Cybelle was polite, and soft-spoken, and followed every command they issued without question. The smallest part of her felt a little shaken at the prospect of becoming an experiment once more but she had long ago decided that would never again be the case. Her abilities had returned to her for a reason.

Certainly, not to die on Exegol.

Perhaps this was it?

The New Way operatives that had infiltrated staff would find themselves taking a quiet nap in a locked closet sooner than later. As always, she took care to ensure that undue harm wasn't processed but she couldn't say that either fellow would wake in a pleasant position. She let her nanites infect their gear and the security system as easily as she breathed. Tiny machines flowed through the closed network to work her will and she wordlessly used them to locate their target.

The mission was two-fold. Free anyone that was being held by the New Way and perhaps find a way to stop or delay what was happening. There was chatter in her comm that made her stomach tighten. The unthinkable was already happening it seemed. Everything, every movement, every play seemed to roll with the efficiency of a well-oiled machine.

She couldn't locate Mr. Sal-Soren at the moment but she had located one of her charges.

Mrs. Sal-Soren.

<<Can you hear me Teyla Sal-Soren ? This is Knight Elyance of the Galactic Alliance...If you can hear this...We're coming. You have to hold on.>>

Cybelle tried to reach out but...Suspected it was in vain. Even at this proximity, there was very little spark. She should have been able to hear her clearly at this range. It was as if they were on completely different wavelengths. The lightly armored woman could sense something. But it was vague. Hazy. More unintentional clouds of emotion than an actual reply. The young woman frowned, but, set about to confirming what her tech told her. She had been taught to verify data with all of her senses. Not just one or the other.

It wasn't the precise location of Mrs. Sal-Soren that she viewed on a Holo-Cam that had given her position away but the sheer absence of it. Where Cybelle could have reviewed every single feed in this Shiraya Temple there were several she could not see. Could not access—Because they had been locally deactivated. That was where she needed to go. Likely, where Baros Sal-Soren would wind up. <<Don't do anything impulsive…>>

The excursion already felt too simple. Too straightforward. Nothing sat well with her.

<<There is a high probability they are holding her here.>>

Cybelle had no other choice than to communicate telepathically because someone thought it was a good idea to ditch her with the yokels. She did her best to keep it brief and only barely skimmed the surface of his mind. Just enough to communicate, pass information, and coordinates along. If he was going to go in like a headstrong fool…Cybelle would at least see him prepared.

She exited the network save for a few nano-bots that lingered to watch for anything alarming and pressed forward with a silent expression. Time wasn't on their side. Those that tried to stop her would simply have to accept the consequences, which likely, involved getting a full eight hours of sleep against their will. Her saber would remain where it was, at the small of her waist, unless absolutely necessary.

The brunette Jedi sucked in a deep breath of air.

It was definitely a trap. But, for who?

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

Wearing: XoXo
Equipment: Lightsaber
Location: Naboo, Ee'everwest Ruins
Tag: Brandyn Sal-Soren , Cybelle Elyance

Briana's eyes fluttered open to the bright glow of sunlight, the wind against her face carrying a hint of rominaria florals that provided a small measure of calm against the pounding rhythm of her racing heart. With a groan she pulled herself to her up, using one of the nearby broken columns to help her regain her footing. The ground beneath her felt uneven when she tried to move, as if the geometry of the world was still shifting as she tried to re-orient herself back into the fabric of reality. With a groan she shook her head, attempting to stave off the lingering images from the world she'd been unceremoniously pulled into — her home world that'd crumbled into nothing, that derelict ship over Exegol that stretched and bent against all logic and reason, and the woman who shifted like shadows behind her brother.

Brandyn.

She needed to locate her brother and Cybelle, feeling the steady flood of dread pushing back to her.

In her younger years, the overwhelming nature of those feelings might have crippled her. Now, they highlighted her urgency, gave her clarity, fueling Briana's determination and pushing herself to regain some modicum of control over her destabilized equilibrium. With a deep inhalation, she closed her eyes, allowing herself to sink into the embrace of the Force that she'd come to rely on, a shimmering thread — a lifeline that granted her renewed strength. Immersed, she shifted her intentions, directing the Force to show her where she needed to go. Glowing pathways seemed to open around her and she could keenly sense the people nearby, Lily, Lossa, and so many others. Their emotions and intentions surfaced, then retreated as background noise as she continued her search through the maelstrom of bright energy, until at last, she locked in on to the familiar feeling of her quarry. It was faint at first, but steadily became stronger the longer she focused in on those unique signatures, visualizing their locations and how they were relative to where she was, calling to her like a beacon in the night.

Without question or hesitation, Briana's agile body bolted in that direction.

 

[Baros Sal-Soren]

Wearing: Guard’s uniform
Equipment: Case containing rifle
Location: Ee’Everwest Estate, Temple of Shiraya
Tag: Teyla Sal-Soren Cybelle Elyance Blaire Sal-Soren Lily Decoria Judah Lesan Cordé Sabo Lossa Darcuhl @all

It had never been more obviously a trap. But this was not a new revelation. No, Baros knew from the moment that Teyla had been taken that it was all to get at him. Hurt him by hurting her and then ultimately ending him or even both of them. the script had been written long for Baros Sal-Soren.

The door to the Temple of Shiraya slid open with a hiss. The hair on the back of Baros’ neck rose to attention, synapses fired due to his extreme alertness. The room was dark, shadows playing tricks with his mind as he thought to see movement not more than once. Shadows of another kind haunted his mind, those of the past. This was the room where his first born had been dedicated, where the queen was nearly assassinated. Even in their infancy, Blaire, Briana and Brandyn could not help but gravitate towards trouble. As images of their chubby, rose tinted baby cheeks burst into his mind, Baros blinked quickly to rid himself of the distraction. It only partially worked.

They were so perfect. So innocent. He would do anything to protect them. Even from themselves.

What a fool he had been. Keeping Briana and Brandyn from following their mother as a Jedi had caused untold damage to their family, thinking that he could alter the conscience of the galactic zeitgeist had led to the burgeoning atrocities of ‘the cure’ and Blaire…his precious Blaire…she seemed lost more than ever, and lost down the path he had forged. His sweet young Bastila seemed to have escaped most of the carnage, coming of age when Baros’ control of his children’s future had relaxed.

A glimmer of light to the left.

Baros turned quickly, barrel of his disrupter rifle coming to bare on the origin of the glimmer. He rounded on of the many pillars that surrounded the central chamber in which stood the massive idol of Shiraya. Beyond the outerchamber, he saw a small, metal panel on the wall. It had been polished to perfection. This private temple had always been maintained to such a high standard, Teyla saw to it. She loved her goddess, though Baros had never truly been a devotee.

Light streamed into the central chamber, the dust floating in the air seemed as luminous insects flitting about. The disrupter rifle was trained on the idol as Baros rounded it. The bug like dust moved unnaturally, as if something were opposing the flow of air.

The moment of realisation had barely occurred when Baros felt a hard crack at the back of his head. The impact sent him into a deranged tumble across the floor. His rifle was jarred from his grasp and clattered across the ground to one of the far pillars. He flipped over ad scrambled back. Standing over him and walking, nay sauntering, towards him was the assassin he had suspected of being here.

”You are no warrior, Baros Sal-Soren,” she chirped.

“Where is Teyla?” He said through a mouth that was quickly filling with blood. The blood was a surprise, but the pain was less so as he realised the fall must have seem him bite his lip.

”Upstairs in the attic storage,” said the feminine, human-looking droid.

Baros’ eyes shot towards the doors to the elevator.

“Don’t worry. You will see her again,” she said with a soft, eerily sincere smile.

Baros couldn’t help but frown. Was Teyla already dead? Was that the play? Baros stood, but felt his legs shake. His eyes went blurry, as he made what he felt was a decent effort to lunge for his rifle.

He was not fast enough.

First, he felt the impact of her shoulder. Second, he felt his chest and face hit the nearby pillar. Third, he felt two quick sharp jabs into his lower back. Pain radiated immediately from either side of his spine.

“The wounds are a parting gift from Jace Isoto,” she said calmly, “goodbye, Baros.”

With that, she released her hold on Baros, and he turned to strike back but felt the pain and disorientation too much. He collapsed to the floor. He could make out heels of his attacker as she headed for the door to the outside world, and the festivities beyond. Baros would not, could not pursue her. Instead, he used every last moment of energy to crawl to the elevator.

A trail of blood marked his path.

~~~​

The door was open. It was close. Could he hear her?

”Teyla…”

His voice was weak. Barely a groan.

He felt the cold, unforgiving embrace of death pulling down at his eyelids, but his purpose pushed him on just another metre. Then another more.

”Tey…Teyla…”

He caught sight of her, tied to a chair. Of the spirit that remained within him, there was none now that was not broken upon sight of his beloved.

”I’m here.”

His mind was growing hazier. Reality about him felt as if it were warping, time slowed. All that mattered, was that he got to her. Freed her.

Baros Sal-Soren, the man that always had and answer, always had a quip or always had words for a moment would be granted no further words. Fate would grant him no redemption. Fate would not permit him the honour of one last ‘I love you’, or an ‘I’m sorry’.

The last act Baros Sal-Soren would ever be allowed was to release one of Teyla’s arms from its binds.

And then.

He was gone.

 

[Teyla Sal-Soren]

​

Wearing: XoXo
Equipment: None
Location: Unknown
Tag: Baros Sal-Soren , Cybelle Elyance , Brandyn Sal-Soren , Briana Sal-Soren , Blaire Sal-Soren , Ariadne

The dimly lit chamber echoed with the creaking of the door as it swung open, her hope tempered by caution, dared to believe it might be Cybelle — arriving to free her, to reunite her with her children for one last time before her body fully gave out.

It wasn't.

Instead, the man who had once been her everything stumbled in. Gasping for air and trailing a river of crimson behind him. Desperation fueled his final approach as he reached her side with a guttural groan, wrencheding the binds on her wrist until it'd been loosened from its restraint.

For one intense moment her eyes caught his, a faint but genuine smile flickering across her lips before watching him lifelessly crumple to the floor, leaving only an unsettling stillness in its wake.

In that instant, the world reduced to a frozen moment — a heartbeat before devastation shattered whatever hope remained in her. Silence filled her mind, silence, and an out-of-focus scream as she began desperately calling out his name, frantic determination clawing at spent reserves of strength that she didn't know she still had. Because whatever it cost her to get free now, it meant nothing compared to the hollow ache where Baros Sal-Soren had once occupied.

A pitless sort of emptiness spread throughout every crevice in her soul, blocking out the numbing sensation coursing through her poisoned limbs as she tumbled unceremoniously from her makeshift prison, concrete biting hard against her knees and hands as she slipped her way through the pools of blood — so much blood. With hands that wouldn't stop shaking, she reached out for him and gently pulled him to her, cradling his unresponsive form to her chest as her voice cracked, "You weren't supposed to come back, you foolish... foolish man." She whispered hoarsely, pressing a final kiss to his lips as tears blurred her vision and streamed down her face. Pulling back, she gently brushed a bloodied thumb over his still-warm cheek, praying that simple touch would somehow will him back into existence, despite knowing deep down that death would not yield so graciously... Not for either of them.

 

[Cybelle Elyance]

Wearing/Equipment: XoXo
Location: New Way/Temple
Tag: Brandyn Sal-Soren | Baros Sal-Soren | Teyla Sal-Soren

It was like he hadn't heard a word.​

Was it possible that there was some sort of dampening field present that would distort telepathic communication? Cybelle didn't feel suppressed but she wouldn't have put it past the New Way to employ tactics that involved broad spectrum force nullification versus individual treatment. Especially, in a hostage situation that most of the world didn't seem to realize was happening. The auburn-haired Jedi Knight made short work of any opposition in the halls. She avoided being shot, stabbed, or any other manner of violence through a slow side-step that took her just barely out of the path of a blaster bolt or a fist. Her presence nor the men she left knocked out in the closet had not gone unnoticed.

<<Stand down, Mr. Sal-Soren. I'll be there in—>>

Minutes. Seconds. Parts of a second.

Time dragged through her as if they were days or weeks that passed in the span of a heartbeat. She heard a distant crack. Felt the pressure of it, but, none of the pain. It didn't belong to her. Her heart sank as she dispatched another one of her would-be dispatchers by letting him use his own energy to catapult him over her shoulder. It was too long. It was taking much, much too long.

Her heart beat against the ribs as if it were a caged hummingbird.

He was hurt. Badly. She could sense that much—Feel it. His essence was spinning closer to the void in the next room. The doors opened unexpectedly and a female stood before her with blood on her unform. She didn't emit a signature, not truly, and topaz orbs went flat when she realized that this was one of the assassins Baros had mentioned. An automaton, programmed to kill, without question.

"Jedi Elyance…We weren't expecting you. Regardless, you're too late."

The assassin rushed toward her. Cybelle had just enough time to grab the hilt of her saber while she was caught in the shoulder and pushed back down the hall. There wasn't a moment to move or breathe before sharp fingers began to jab at pressure points, either to kill, or immobilize her. The armored robes she wore absorbed some of the kinetic force and puncture but it still caused the young woman to give a muffled cry. The fingers of the automaton dug deep into her side, trying, to break through her suit and instinctively go for her most vital organ: Her heart. Through the fourth and fifth rib.

Her light-saber burst to life in a flare of comforting green light and bore a cauterizing hole through the assassin's shoulder. Cybelle pulled it to the right and it tore through burning metal and neu-skin before she reared back and kicked the abominable thing away. The force of it sent the bot flying, chest heaving, while blood trickled from the side of her suit. The nanites had already begun repairs. She didn't think anything was broken, but it hurt. It wasn't bleeding as badly as it should have been but robot fingers had a significant advantage toward human skin.

Tawny eyes followed the assassin that was slowly climbing back to their feet. Something moved out of the corner of her eye. Like a heat shimmer. It was a small flying drone but that was the only opening the female oriented robot before her needed. She charged again, but Cybelle was ready this time. Lithe footsteps took her to the side and she caught the droid by the injured arm and slammed her down into the ground with enough force to crack the marble tile. She pressed her knee in to the back of the of the assassin and pulled on the arm. Repeatedly, reminding herself that this assassin wasn't a person.

She wasn't hurting a person.

The assassin reared up in an impossible fashion and struck back with her elbow. It clocked Cybelle in the jaw and she could instantly taste blood in her mouth while she stumbled back. Frustrated, feeling, life slip away in the background…Feeling Baros Sal-Soren die slowly…

Tears pricked at her eyes and her hand flew out to send the robot away from her. It had the intended effect but the Force lashed out in a way Cybelle had never known. Throwing the assassin away from her with such velocity that she crashed right through a window and into the outside world. Her first instinct was to follow the threat…But… That was just adrenaline. Her heart knew where to go.

She could hear a woman crying out from above. Over and over.

Cybelle followed the trail of blood. The elevator coming down was so very, very slow. She tried to clench her jaw and keep tears from falling but she already knew half of what she might find. How could he be so foolish? Why hadn't he listened? Waited? Stayed with her? She could have protected Baros from all of this if he had only given her the chance.

The doors opened and Cybelle stumbled out while her hand slammed into the control panel to deploy her nanites so that it would shut down the elevator. "Tey—M-Mrs. Sal-Soren!", the young Hapani called out breathlessly, carefully, trying to multi-task while not allow the sight that greeted her to overwhelm her senses. A wife holding her dead husband. Someone who had been a thinking, breathing, living human being just an hour ago. Cybelle dropped down near a woman that she had always wanted to emulate. She couldn't…Baros was gone. Cybelle didn't need to check his vitals to know.

She could feel it.

Mrs. Sal-Soren was holding her husband, but really, it was an empty vessel. Baros wasn't there anymore.

"I know this is…Please…Please forgive me. Let me help you."

Cybelle reached for Teyla. She didn't try and take Baros from her but there was nothing that could stop the young Jedi Knight from silently weeping. Mr. Sal-Soren…He had paid the ultimate price for his transgressions. He was a fool. But, a fool who loved his family from the beginning to the very end. He loved them so much that he had brought a literal war to their society. He loved them SO MUCH that he ran headlong into danger, knowing, how he would end.

She knew now…He'd known all along.

He was gone.

Teyla was…fading. They'd been too late even before they'd left the safe house.

"…Please forgive me."

Cybelle scooted closer and with or without consent and took a syringe from the small pack at her waist. It was a bacta-injector that had been diluted to account for those with allergies. More and more the young woman ran into people that didn't have a tolerance for bacta or kolto. She pressed it against Teyla's neck without asking and let the empty cartridge fall. Next—Came her hand on Teyla's shoulder. One of the first things she had learned to do at the Shore was heal.

Heal herself, heal others, body and soul.

"I know...I know he's gone…but you have to fight. Fight the way he fought for you. All Mr. Sal-Soren wanted…All he wanted was to see you survive. Fight. Please fight…For him. For you. For your children. For everyone that loves you.", her words were as steady as they could possibly be, pouring, from a heart that could only absorb the trauma. The temptation to bring him back the way she had been saved on Exegol was strong but…She didn't know. Cybelle, didn't know how to do it without crossing the line and taking in the Dark Side. Even then… "I'll fight for you, Teyla. I'll do everything I can…"

"But I need you to fight with me."

Hope. It was a soft, flicker. It was quiet. But it was all Cybelle had. Everything she had done to stop Baros from getting in over his head had gone impossibly wrong. Back up was nowhere to be found even though she'd sent multiple calls for help. In the moment—She was all they had.

And Teyla Sal-Soren was all that mattered.

Her eyes closed and a soft light began to emit from the palm of her hand. One moved to join the other and she was met with a startling sense of fatigue. Almost, like when the Force had been severed. Cybelle fought through it and let the Force flow through her like the mighty river she knew it to be. She poured everything she had into Teyla. Imaging healthy cheeks, a warm smile, and happy tears versus the agony that was less than a foot away from her. It didn't take long for Cybelle to realize something wasn't right.

She was healing Teyla but she was tiring thrice as fast with very little result. It was enough it seemed to keep her from worsening for the moment but the pain…Cybelle could only imagine that.

All she could do was take it into herself. Just as she had done a thousand times before—But this wasn't like every other time. It was raw and coupled with emotional anguish that had turned into a numbing wave. Cybelle could barely breathe through it.

But she would. Had to.

"Just…Hold on. Please. P-Please."

 

[Brandyn Sal-Soren]

Wearing: Glitterstim Original
Equipment: Lightsaber
Location: Baros Sal-Soren's safehouse / nightmarescape
Tag: Cybelle Elyance Briana Sal-Soren Velda Nar-Donna Lossa Darcuhl Blaire Sal-Soren etc

Moments passed like taffy. Stretching beyond the norm and then snapping him back into reality. Life was breaking. Darkness was encroaching. Even as the heat of Naboo’s star beat down upon his sweating brow, Brandyn cursed this day with his every step. He should never have pursued The New Way. Never have dug so deep.

Echoes of his dark dreams still battered the edges of Brandyn’s psyche, threatening to lead full control of his heart to the dark side. He was slipping.

Brandyn stumbled across the uneven surface of the cobbled pathway. A speeder would have made this faster, though in his state probably not safer for those around him. On lookers did just that…look on. Part of him wanted to lash out at them for staring. But he probably appeared drunk. A drunk Jedi stumbling down a Naboo street was likely not the most common sight. Staring seemed appropriate. But he wanted to tear them down for it nonetheless.

A spike of awareness pulled Brandyn from his darkening inclinations.

Briana?

He called out to her swiftly approaching presence. She was near. She was safe. But her heart too seemed gripped by a sense of imposing dread. Was she worried for him? She needn’t be. He was fine.

His sister’s presence, drew him back to his feet, resolve fomenting within. With Briana by his side, nothing could stop him. Perhaps the day was not lost altogether. The glimmer of hope, as faint as it was, would be clung too. Perhaps Blaire was safe. Perhaps they would all bring about a rescuing of the day.

His eyes caught sight of Briana and he fell into her embrace. His face pressed into her shoulder, grateful for the sharing of the burdens. After a moment of recouping and regathering himself, Brandyn pulled away From the embrace.

”I think father went after The New Way…have you heard anything? Heard from Cybelle?”

Fairy tales alone are home to happy endings.