Stranded (Year One on Refuge)

[Josh Dragovalor]

Josh would stop at the flash of black lightning. He may not know what the heavy-gravity planet had in store... But he was smart enough to know that most likely, whatever was coming toward him wasn't anywhere near friendly. He would quickly draw his lightsaber, the blue blade a rare beacon of light in what seemed to be the darkest of forests. He watched as it came closer...

And he would look into it's eyes.

He saw things. Terrible things. The things he had feared the most. But somehow... The Jedi Master did not flinch. Instead... He simply smiled sadly. He saw the game here... It didn't take much for him to figure this thing out. But why hadn't it effected the Jedi Master?

"Sorry" He spoke with a weak chuckle. "But my worst fears were all realized quite some time ago. You can't hurt me anymore."

It was a sad truth. In many ways, there wasn't much reason for the Jedi Master to live anymore but to serve this galaxy. He'd lost everything by now. He'd lost the Order he had loved, he'd lost the love of his life, his friends, one by one, all died or betrayed him. Gherron, of course was still a friend he cared for - certainly enough for him to hunt him down. But Josh had no fears of Gherron's well-being, he had faith that he could handle himself.

In the end... The Jedi Master had nothing left to fear. In many ways, this could be considered his strength... But the circumstances that brought it on... How could someone live like that?

Regardless, he would brandish his blade and wait to see if there was a moment to strike...

[member="Gherron Vael"]

 

[Gherron Dragovalor]

As Gherron got closer and closer to his goal, he felt the moment when his old master and the beast made contact. Yet... there was no response on either end. Confused and curious, when he finally got within range of sight, he silently watched from his vantage point. He noticed a sad smile on the weathered man's face, and he spoke a few words to the beast. Staying still, it twitched it's tail a few times, as if not understanding. Then, it began to purr quietly, and it's threat level seemed to decline drastically. Gherron stared on in wonder. Maybe it was only hostile when it knew it's targets were afraid, like when he first encountered it. But there was no way the Jedi Master wasn't afraid of something. Everyone was. Maybe he'd just realized his fears and accepted them. Something Gherron could not yet get himself to do. Watching as the nightmare beast padded away, he sighed softly when his gaze returned to the bearded man. He would continue to do so for a while, even though he knew he wasn't invisible. There was no doubt in his mind that Josh knew he was right above him. He just didn't know what he would say.

[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

Of course he feared things. Who didn't? He feared for the safety of the people that he cared about, but at the same time... He knew it was going to happen anyway, most likely. He'd lost his family, lost near everyone he ever loved or cared about, he'd seen his entire life crumble around him - the Order that he loved crumble around him from within and tell him that they didn't want him anymore because of his ideals - the ideals that THEY had pressed onto him, that he had grown up around. He feared... And yet he did not. At times... He didn't know what was left to live for, besides to serve, to help... What purpose did he have in life left, except eternal service to the galaxy?

He didn't know... In many ways, he felt so empty. But he couldn't help but be surprised when the beast would turn docile and leave, and he would tilt his head in turn. Still on guard, his gaze moved up to the man he could sense, just above him...

"Nice beard."

Of course he would open with a joke.

[member="Gherron Vael"]

 

[Gherron Dragovalor]

Gherron almost smiled at the comment. Almost. Instead, he jumped down to meet the man face to face. Most of his own face covered in the shadow of the hood, save for his beard, he looked into Josh's eyes. "Why did you follow me?", he asked quietly. Gherron didn't know at that moment whether he should laugh, cry, or just run away again. This was his brother, the man who woukdnt give up on him no matter what. And here he was again, still reaching out, even after all that had happened. Josh was the only person he'd met in his life that he knew, without a doubt, he could count on. And here he was, proving that point again. It was almost too much to bear. He didn't deserve people like that in his life. Sighing, he removed his hood to reveal several more scars on his face and chest, scars from survival and learning the forest. He was a different man than what he was when he'd first gotten to the planet. And plus, he did like the beard.

[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

"Because you still owe me 50 credits, why else do you think?" Was the immediate sarcastic response that followed. Josh hadn't changed a bit since Gherron had left, obviously, and Josh would stretch his shoulders and motion for Gherron to come down. Of course, this wasn't the serious Jedi Master, Gherron's Former Master, that he was dealing with here. This was the real Josh, the laid-back, sarcastic, constantly joking Jedi Master that not many people saw due to the nature of business.

"I'm here to take you home, kid. The Jedi Order is re-gathering it's strength now, away from the corruption of politics. And more importantly... Your fiance needs you."

He smiled sadly. "I lost mine. So you have no excuse to go and abandon yours" He joked quietly.

[member="Gherron Vael"]

 

[Gherron Dragovalor]

The words struck Gherron like a massive blow to the chest. He wasn't expecting Josh to mention Nefertari, and the pain in the man's voice was obvious. He did remember something about Josh having a significant other sometime before he ran off. What had hapened there? Taking a step forward, he looked into the man's eyes. "Josh... I can't go back. Not yet, at least. I hurt too many people. I came here to find peace... and I think I'm on the brink of finding it." He described what he was told about the mysterious crystall formations, and how they give the planet it's calming atmosphere. How they were the reason it was so easy to find peace on refuge, and why they wereally so important to the planet. "I want to find them. If I can channel their aura to help keep myself in check, maybe then I can trust myself to return to the galaxy." The look in his own eyes were sincere, yet unmoving. He truly wanted this, and it was clear he would not budge until he'd at least tried to locate the crystals.

[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

The Jedi Master would cross his arms, staring up at Gherron with a quirked brow. "Gherron. I have fire powers. If I throw a fireball, half this planet turns into a giant fireball with all the flammable trees cloaking it. Don't make me throw a fireball" He joked, rolling his eyes and letting out a sigh. "Look, Gherron. I get that. I really do. I had to leave to find my peace too... But your fiance needs you. She constantly asks about you, she wants to know where you are. She's hurt, she's lost. I lost a brother, and she's lost a fiance. Sometimes... We have to sacrifice our personal desires for the ones we love" He would speak softly. "I know I've had to..."

"If there's a way I can help you find your peace, of course... I'll do what I can to help you."

[member="Gherron Vael"]

 

[Gherron Dragovalor]

Gherron allowed a small smirk at the Jedi master's quip, the closest to an actual smile he'd gotten in a long time. Hearing word about Nef again made him flinch, a sensation he wasn't exactly used to. He'd been running away from everything... from her... maybe what he needed to do was face his fears and knock them into the ground. Maybe then, he'd find peace with himself enough to return to everybody. But that was easier said than done. Either way, he really wanted to investigate the matter of the green crystals. Nodding in response to what his friend was telling him, he looked off to the side, in the direction where he'd been heading before to search for the caves. "Let's go then. You up for yet another crystal hunt?", he asked with another small smile. Maybe this little adventure with an old friend would do good to him, both mentally, and spiritually. Latching his crossbow to a small notch in the back of his cloak, he headed onward, leading the way.

[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

Hunting down crystals, huh? He would shrug his shoulders. "Fine. But as soon as this hunt ends, whether in success or failure, you're coming with me. Either because you come willing, or when I knock you on your arse again" He remarked with a light chuckle as he would walk over. "Well, come on, what are we waiting for, an invitation from the swamp to walk into it's belly so it can eat us alive? Let's go! I got places to go, people to see, Jedi things to do! And so do you! Get your ass down here and let's go!" Josh would crack, shooting Gherron a grin.

"And besides, I don't know a damn thing about this world. If you've been here for Force knows how long, you should know your way around, right?"

[member="Gherron Vael"]