Private Securing Peace

[Kahlil Noble]

"Oh yes, it's possible we might not be able to follow it's trail." Kahlil bit back a laugh as he stared down the ruined section of the woods the Wyrm had crashed through chasing the pair of Jedi Masters. Then hooked his lightsaber on his hip to start making the trek.

"You said you were good with Psychometry, right, Valery? Think you'll be able to follow the track once we find the end of this path?"

Valery Noble | Cale Gunderson

 

[Valery Noble]

Odessen

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Outfit: Factory Link
Appearance: Link
Ship: The Bastion
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble Cale Gunderson

"Agreed," Valery said with a dip of her head in Cale's direction, but her smile turned into a slight death glare when Kahlil found some joy in her comment about tracking it. It lingered only for a moment though, because his question caused her eyes to widen just a little. She had told him that she wasn't an amazing practitioner of it.

Thanks for putting me on the spot, love.

"...I can try, but psychometry has risks when using it around death or something tainted by the Dark Side." Sadly, it was also the better way to figure out where the one who created it was hiding. She doubted that the beast came straight from there. It had likely been roaming around for a while already.

Soon enough, the three Jedi would reach the end of the destructive trail in a larger clearing, which it had likely used as a place to rest. Valery crouched down, sighed softly, and touched the dirt with her hand, while her mind opened up to the Force. Almost immediately, she twitched, her muscles tightened up and her breathing got a lot more strained. Whatever she saw, it wasn't easy to process, but she was keeping it together. "I see... a large cave... built into a rock formation." She opened her eyes and gasped for air.

Her face was covered in sweat, and she looked a little pale.

"I think we flew over it on approach. Those tall boulders."

 

[Cale Gunderson]

Psycohmetry, like the rest of the more elaborate abilities that some Jedi wielded, had always befuddled Cale. He could all but re-manifest his arm for brief moments sure, though that was probably underselling whatever the ability actually was, but he was both amazed and jealous of those who wielded the more advanced tools the force provided. He only wished it had come back to Valery with a more reassuring answer.

Cale looked to Kahlil for a moment, as if hoping the other Jedi might have some rationalization for what his wife saw, but in the end there was not much to interpret. Like seemingly all creatures of its kind, the Wyrm's origin was some hole in the ground absent of all but sinister darkness. He looked back to Valery, arching an eyebrow at the sudden paleness, and nodded.

Something wicked was nested in the stones, or someone rather.

"We better get going then, wouldn't want whoever made this thing slipping away."

Kahlil Noble | Valery Noble ​

 

[Kahlil Noble]

He paused as he watched Valery. Then frowned. She was far more uncertain about the ability than he expected. Given his physiology, though, it was hardly surprising. There were few things he could understand when it came to powers that had negative effects on the mind. Epicanthix were naturally immune to so much that did affect the mind, after all. But he could feel the strain through their bond.

So he reached out, gently touching her shoulder. Gave her a brief smile before nodding and turning his gaze off towards the boulders in question.

"No, we wouldn't. Expect some traps, though. People who make monsters tend to be the most paranoid."

Valery Noble | Cale Gunderson

 

[Valery Noble]

Odessen

​

Outfit: Factory Link
Appearance: Link
Ship: The Bastion
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble Cale Gunderson

Some color returned to her cheeks when Kahlil reached out to place a hand on her shoulder. She smiled in return, tilted her head to bring her cheek closer to his hand, and let out a soft sigh. The draining effects of Psychometry were starting to fade, but more importantly, the mission required her to focus. They still had something important to do — perhaps even more important than killing the Wyrm.

As long as this Mawite was allowed to be free, more of these creatures could bring terror to innocents.

"Alright, let's get moving."

Knowing they'd be able to keep up easily, Valery moved far quicker than she normally would. She weaved through the forest, ignoring creatures and other points of interest. Her destination was set, and it wouldn't take long before the three Jedi reached the group of boulders they had seen on approach.

But as they got closer, they could feel something approaching.

The sound of feet drummed through the forest, revealing that it was more than just one creature. An entire pack was moving in and spreading out to surround the three Jedi. Valery could already tell what they were and seemed to freeze up just a little. The scar on her face burned as she looked over her shoulder.

"Vornskr."

 

[Cale Gunderson]

There was always something else, always a complication, always a trap. Cale almost felt relief that this time it was something tangible. Vornskr were ferocious creatures, and strong hunters too. As a boy they'd terrified him, long hours had been spent awake on Tython afraid that a pack might somehow be honing in on him. The masters had dissuaded him of that fear though, and in the end, he'd been able to reconcile that they were only animals. Though certainly dangerous ones.

His saber had never left his hand, but he gripped it a little tighter as the snarls of the beasts grew closer and closer. They'd slain a Wyrm, but these would be a trial all their own, though hopefully one less taxing than the creature that had brought them to the world in the first place. Cale quietly hoped this would be the worst of it, but when it came to darksiders there was always something worse in store.

But that was the job, and this was the life. Cale thumbed the ignition of the blade.

"It never ends does it?"

Valery Noble | Kahlil Noble ​

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"No, it doesn't. Beast Master, perhaps?"

That's what made sense to him, anyway. Kahlil stayed walking forward, carefully, but as if he hadn't noticed the beasts. Not yet, at least. They were going to hunt from the shadows first. Watch, learn their targets. Then eventually strike. That's how Joycelyn Zambrano 's own Vornskyr had behaved. How most trained by the Sith did, at least. Smart, intelligent, and always looking to terrorize their prey.

"Watch your backs when they strike. There will be others waiting for a chance."

Valery Noble | Cale Gunderson

 

[Valery Noble]

Odessen

​

Outfit: Factory Link
Appearance: Link
Ship: The Bastion
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble Cale Gunderson

Beast Master

Valery turned and looked at Kahlil for a moment. He knew what she had gone through — he had seen it so vividly when she had shared her memories with him. A beastmaster on New Cov commanding several Vornskr was the reason for the scar on her face, and while she had gotten over that fear for the most part, she definitely didn't like them.

They were far too dangerous.

"Right," Valery then said, and while she walked forward, she got just a little closer to her husband. They had both been up against these things before, so it felt safer. Tension was already rising and the closer they got to the boulders, the closer the Vornskr tightened their perimeter around the Jedi.

Until they attacked.

From the side, one jumped out at Cale and attempted to stun him with a strike of its venomous tail. From behind, three approached and attacked the Nobles, while another waited for Cale to turn to the one jumping at him, before charging in from behind at the Jedi Master.

"Here they come!" Valery yelled, as she drew her blade, spun around, and first dodged one of the beasts jumping at her, before sweeping her weapon at the 2nd that was coming up right behind the first. It shrieked as hot plasma burned its skin, but this was only the beginning.