Private The Gray Pilgrim

[Mathieu Brion]

The Gray Pilgrim​

Voss. Mathieu had come to grow fond of the place already. It was odd - for all he had done on the planet so far was to battle. And that was usually not the recipe to growing fond of anything. At least not for a Jedi, a follower of the light. But he had not come to like the planet because of the battles and the war that was still raging on. He had come to like it despite of that. Because past all the death and destruction, he seemed to feel a sense of peace and a sense of belonging. The planet had once been the home of the Silver Jedi Order, and he was now here to help reclaim it.

It had not been long since his last battle, but the war was far from over. Reports of a problematic enemy hotspot a bit further out had been flooding in and Mathieu was tasked to help remedy the problem. Naturally, the Padawan was not tasked to do so alone - instead, he had been assigned to join a strike team lead by Jedi Master Iston Voronwe. He had never met the Jedi Master, nor had he heard of him. But there were many whom Mathieu had never heard about.

Clad in a set of simple Jedi Robes, seemingly a bit worn after his last fight, he appeared at the meeting location. It had been a long day and he had already spent quite a bit of energy but there was still plenty left to go. Mathieu was at a peak physical condition - something which was rather useful for campaigns like these. It was not something he was unfamiliar with as he had also spent extensive amounts of time on the battlefield as a mercenary, at least in relation to his age.

The battle was still raging on - sound of artillery and blasters could still be heard and fighters from both sides filled the skies far above. A few AA-cannons were sending wave after wave of laser bolts. It all melted into the background as Mathieu made his way over to the person in charge, the Jedi Master. With a slight bow, he introduced himself "I am Padawan Mathieu Brion. I was assigned to your strike team."

Iston Voronwe

 

[Iston Voronwe]

Mathieu Brion

It had been a long campaign, many lives, many soldiers had given their lives that the Jedi may reclaim what had been rightfully theirs... Iston refused to let them have died in vain. Forward Camp — it was near the now new hotspot — an encampment of Imperial Soliders that we’re led by a Sith of some sort — the presence of the dark was present, and as usual, it perverted all that it touched. Iston had been dispatched to this area specifically because of his unique past in dealing with such a familiar problem.

Iston stood in the midst of several troopers that had been assigned to his team. Their purpose? To create a diversion as a smaller team snuck in and dealt a crippling blow to the root of the issue — they were the axe head. Iston had just finished issuing his orders as a young man came up to him and bowed, Iston frowned slightly as he introduced himself. The state of today’s universe meant the younger generation was now required and having to step up far more often than Iston felt happy about. Iston nodded to Matthieu as he shifted slightly. To Mathieu, Iston would appear, old. He was hunched slightly as he seemed to put all his weight on his beskar cane. His hair shown sliver in the light and mixed in it along with his beard held strands of white. His robes, modified looked like that of a Masters typical robes, but they held trauma plates all through out them. Iston’s eyebrow rosed slightly as he cleared his throat and spoke. “Ah yes, Mathieu; thank you for coming. You just missed my briefing. Let me simplify this — I’ve got a squadron of troops preparing to head up towards the encampment and flank them — they are going to draw fire away from us — our team. I speak this to you young Padawan; reach out and you’ll feel it too — the dark side is at work, when we reach the encampment, I expect you and I will have a fight on our hands. Be prepared for whatever may be awaiting and be ever mindful...” He paused as his eyes narrowed, the amber eyes seeming more serious now. “....and most importantly, if I give you a direct order Padawan — meaning to run, or escape; you are our future. I’ve lived my life, and I will not allow harm to come to you while you are in my care. That goes for all in my care.” Iston was not afraid of death, and would gladly give his own life for the continuance of the Padawan... several others had done the same for him when he was no older than Mathieu. “Alright... now that we have gone over that, we will be mobilizing soon...”

In that moment; Iston stood straight up and stretched, his back popping as he rolled his neck, the Epicanthix now standing at his full height. He removed his outer robe as it revealed his leather tunic, and gauntlets. Much like Mathieu, Iston was lean, and well toned for an man of his age, the facade of a feeble old man now dropping. A soldier came up at that point and took his cane and robe from him as Iston looked at Matthieu, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth, his voice now slightly deeper as this new youthful energy seemed to emit from him now. “Think you can keep up with this old man young one?”

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Peripherally, Mathieu saw how some of Istons troops had already begun moving. They weren't many, but they did seem to know what they were doing. Memories of when he used to take mercenary work started flooding back. He didn't know that he was force sensitive back then and while there was a lot he did not like about it, he did remember pre-op moments like these rather fondly. The feeling of each and everyone of them knowing what they were doing yet having the capacity to be calm, just for a little bit before they rolled into action - it was something which he missed from time to time.

Mathieu offered the Master a friendly nod as he started to brief him on what they were doing. The strategy seemed simple enough - a distracting force to pull away the Imperial attention, perhaps cause a few slip-ups among their routines, and then the smaller team that would go in to cut off the head of the snake. But it would not be so simple. With closed eyes, the Padawan reached out, and indeed, he did feel a dark side presence. He did not like it, not one bit - for when he reached out, he could also feel a lot of what was happening. They were in a warzone, the suffering, the death and the personal tragedies were many. Mathieu's eyes shot open as he let out a disheartened sigh. He had always looked up to the Jedi, becoming one was among the best things that had happened to him, but being able to sense so much pain, that part he wished that he could discard.

And perhaps the old Jedi Master felt the same, for listening to him speak, Mathieu got the impression that he was quite ready to die. He had been taught the importance of discipline from a young age, both parents having a background in the military and bringing their martial mindset back home. But even with that value at heart, he knew that he would be rather reluctant to just abandon someone "I will be mindful of your orders and of the living force, Master Voronwe" - it was the closest to the truth that he could get.

He was not a little surprised when the Jedi Master suddenly transformed. The years that seemed to weigh down heavy on him before suddenly started to fade as he stood up straight and shrugged off his outer robe. The Padawan eyed his senior as if he realised that he had been deceived all along. The realisation that he was probably not dealing with a tired crow, but rather an old fox started to sink in. And with that, a smile started to appear on his lips - Mathieu knew that Iston probably had much better technique than him, but on the physical front, he looked forward to a challenge "I do, Master" he said, carrying a fair amount of confidence as he did.

With that, they started to move to their transport. It was a rather small craft and separate from that of the other team. It was probably for the best as they were heading for slightly different locations. Keeping all of his robes on, Mathieu boarded the transport and took a seat next to Iston. He felt rather comfortable around the elder - the nervousness that one could feel in the presence of a Master wasn't quite there with this one and so, he spoke "I used to be a Mercenary, not too long ago. I dropped it all when they said that I could become a Jedi." he let out an awkward chuckle as a bit of shame started to sprinkle into his voice "I did many bad things. I try to amend for them now. But what I wanted to say is that I have seen battle before, Master." A smirk started to spread across his lips as he was getting to the point "So, got any tips for me on fighting Sith?"

Iston Voronwe

 

[Iston Voronwe]

Mathieu Brion

Iston let out a hearty chuckle as he lightly patted Mathieus back, walking closely by him to their transport. They sat in close proximity to one another as he now listened to the young Padawan and of his past. Iston stroked his beard as he grumbled slightly, noting the mutual sorrow they both held for things done wrong in the past. But, as Mathieu spoke, asking for advice Iston folded his arms as he seemed to look off into the distance. “Tips for fighting the Sith?...” Such a loaded question — and a question with that had a myriad of ways to reply. He sighed as he turned slightly to him. “Young Mathieu, I am... a bit different from some of my brothers and sisters. Many would tell you, to not allow yourself to become fettered with the “what if’s” or emotions of war time as we go to face this Sith — but I say, we are living, breathing things Matthieu... this Sith will be feeding off the death, anger and sorrow of his landscape.” Iston paused as he cleared his dry throat, and then continued. “Even at the precipice before the great plunge, i do not fear — for I feel the courage of those around me, their emotions empower me and compel me to fight harder. I feel love around me, through the willingness that those around me would lie their life down for me, because if you take my title away Matthieu, I’m just a man... but that they would do that for me?... astonishing. I feel the force within all life, and even the death for both serve purpose in the picture of the universe, neither are inherently evil, they just are... so Matthieu, we have a strength that Sith can never tap into... that is my advice to you. Dig deep, and find that strength, find that balance.”

He stopped talking, the transport now moving as the driver spoke to Iston, putting him on the com frequencies. “ Green Leader, Brown Leader — Grey Package is now moving. Begin your ground bombardment and draw as much attention off us as possible. Keep safe, and as always, Thank you for the sacrifices we are all about to make. Ashla be with you all. Iston out.” The com went silent as the transport picked up more speed and he looked over to Matthieu and nodded, detonations now heard some distance from their location.

 

[Mathieu Brion]

"Yeah!" the answer was conveyed with a sense of enthusiasm - Mathieu had much to learn, especially on how to fight the Sith, and judging by his appearance, Iston had a lot to teach. And with that, he started to listen to the elder with interest.

It was interesting to hear how the Master approached the force and its usage during combat. Mathieu stayed quiet for a while as he pondered over the advice before speaking, with a rather clear reference to the Jedi code "It doesn't sound like you follow the traditional Path, Master Voronwe. What you speak of is not like what the others say, to omit emotion to find peace. What you speak of is finding peace in one's emotions." He thought for a few moments - was that really what the Master was saying? "Or are you actually saying that I should embrace my emotions and omit peace, as long as I find the emotions that I stand on as a Jedi?" It was all confusing and abstract - far from Mathieu's strong suit, hopefully, Iston would be able to help him make sense of it.

It was not long before Iston reached out to the aerial crews. Mathieu threw an eye to the front and noticed how the hostile base was coming up on the scanners. They were closing in fast. From the reports he had read, it was supposed to be a largely metallic construct that was dropped onto the surface of Voss from orbit years ago. Since then, it had been built upon and expanded to further suit the needs of the Imperial forces. And now, they were going in to remove it from their control or at the very least, disable it from ever functioning the same way again.

Soon, the two teams flew past the transport and continued on to the enemy base. Their laser cannons went off, causing severe structural damage to the central tower and once they got close enough, they would drop a total of eight bombs, causing a great deal of destruction. While the attacks weren't focused on a single spot, they did seem to have a higher concentration on the opposite side of that from which the Jedi approached, hopefully drawing much of the Imperials' attention in the other direction.

Prepared to hop into battle, Mathieu grasped his weapon with a firm grip. He didn't quite know what to expect once they were out there. Neither from the Imperials, nor from the Master. Would he be and older man in need of protection or a menace to try to keep up with? The Padawan had his suspicions, but kept preparing himself mentally for both scenarios. And with that, he let out a short "I'm ready"

 

[Iston Voronwe]

Mathieu Brion

// “It doesn’t really sound like you follow the traditional Path, Master Voronwe.” \\

Leaned back against the wall of the transport, arms folded Iston nodded slightly. “Tradition is not always a good thing young one... some traditions are meant to be broken.” True; Iston was what some extreme spectrum Jedis would call ‘far left’... but that was further from the truth. He listened as Mathieu tried to make sense of what he had spoken, the boy was bright, he was close to the answer. They were closing in on the battle field, they needed to be ready. Iston unfolded his hands as he now folded them together, and closed his eyes as he leaned forward and began to simply breath in, and out. “Breath Mathieu, allow the light, that is your breath, to fill your mind, until... there is nothing but, your breath... your light.” He now began to speak again, the force now beginning to draw in, and flow through him.


“Flowing through all, there is balance — dark and light are words we use to describe two halves of one whole.”

He inhaled again, and exhaled.

“There is no peace without a passion to create and There is no passion without peace to guide — passion lies in emotion, peace lies in the acceptance that we are human, we feel, but what we do, defines us.”

Again... bombs now drawing closer.

“Knowledge fades without the strength to act and Power blinds without the serenity to see — experience and wisdom are two different things... one comes from others, the other comes from time. Strength lies in humility.”

The bombardment was right on top of them, yet Iston never broke stride, his concentration was steadfast.

“There is freedom in life. There is purpose in death....The Force is all things and I am the Force — we, are the force Mathieu”

They came to a stop as the doors began to open. Iston stood, the force now moving in and out of him, he had found the living current that was his life rhythm within the force. He drew his lightsaber as he walked to the door and stopped. “Not yet.... not yet....” What was he waiting for? They were positioned just outside of a fractured wall that had taken place during the bombardment... why not just go in? But then, all was made clear. Imperials began to move out, converging on the transport. Iston, in that moment spoke. “Now — on me!” His body moved forward immediately as he leaped out and onto the ground, pulling on the imaginary force that surrounded him, in an instant he pushed into the troops that seemed to swarm them, and a wall of energy seemed to emerge forth and fling their bodies violently in the opposite direction. His lightsaber activated as he yelled now pushing to the fissure in the base wall. “ Push to the base!”

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Mathieu did as the Master instructed. He filtered out what was going on around them, he filtered out what was going on in his mind, he stripped away everything until he only felt his own breath. 'His light' was not quite so tangible, but he felt at peace and serene, and that would have to do.

Slowly but surely, his breaths synchronized with those of the Master. While the broad-shouldered Morellian had his eyes closed, his eyebrows still furrowed. Sure, dark and light were two halves - but the goal was for the light to triumph and remove the darkness, was it not? He remained silent and listened. The elder made sense - what was peace worth if there was no passion? And what was passion, if not a longing for peace? It made the Padawan reflect over what he had been taught so far.

The Jedi code mentioned both peace and passion. But Strength? And Power? These were words which he did not recognise from the Jedi Code. It was the words enshrined in the Sith Code. Many questions filled the Padawan's mind. He wondered how the man he sat next to had managed to stay true to the light for so many years without also adhering strictly to the code that was meant to protect them from the corrupting influences of the dark side.

Finally, the finishing remarks came. Mathieu let out a breath and opened his eyes. "You have given me a lot to reflect over, Master Voronwe. Thank you." he said whilst tilting his head down in a bow. He would not question or argue with what had been said - not now. He was not equipped for it and they were about to head into battle.

Standing next to the large elder, Mathieu prepared himself. He was ready, he had said as much. And with patience, he waited for the signal. Soon, the transport doors opened and they rushed out. Igniting his blue blade, the Padawan did his best to deflect shots and slice weapons apart until Iston managed to knock out most of their opposition.

They had to keep pushing. With his well practiced Soresu defence, Mathieu pushed on ahead, keeping the troops who were closest to him safe from incoming blaster fire. Before long, they arrived at the large entrance to one of the central buildings. Most hostile troops were on the opposite side of it, mostly distracted by the most recent aerial bombardment. Still, some had picked up chatter from the true front and started to head over. Meanwhile, Mathieu ushered the tech specialist of the strike team to the console by the door.

"Get it open, I will keep you safe." he hollered, positioning himself between the soldier and any enemies that appeared. While his own capacities to take them out from a range were limited, he could defend his allies with excellence.

Iston Voronwe

 

[Iston Voronwe]

Mathieu Brion


Iston’s yellow blade ignited as he jumped, rolled and dismembered a enemy hostile. His hand extended as his saber flew forth from his hands as it twisted in air, only to hit its targets, impaling two Imperials. Blaster shots were fired onto Iston as his hands came up and the blasters seemed to stop short, hitting a invisible wall of energy.... part of the strike team, noticing Iston came quickly to their leaders aide as the Imperial soldiers dropped to the ground. Hand stretched out once again, his saber flew to his hand, reigniting as he walked up to the opening. “Status Wyatt.” The tech specialist looked up as he nodded his head. “Almost in Master Jedi; one second longer.” Iston let out a short grunt as his hand came to his ear; the comm channel channel opening to Green and Brown Leaders. “Green and Brown; converge on the Base, we are in. I repeat, converge on the base.”

The door chimed behind them as it slid open and Iston looked to Matheiu, he walked through it as they would all enter into a large hallway. Iston looked around as he began to reach out through the force, a strike solider now addressing Iston. “Sir, what are your orders?” Iston sighed as he looked at the different hallways. They had to find the main power supply, plant the charges and blow the base... but, there was the issue of the dark presence that seemed to loom within the base. He looked at the solider. “Lieutenant Uriah — take the team and find the main generators; once there, plant the charges. Secondly, we need to download the main computers data for anything regarding other potential outposts. Once finished, head for the rendezvous location. Mathieu and I have to track and deal with our target. Let me know once you’ve finished.” Iston looked back to Mathieu as he then began to walk down the hallway. The construct seemed quiet, eerily so for all that was transpiring outside... they must have diverted a large portion of troops to the outer walls that were now being sieged by the two other teams. Iston as they walked down the hallway together, cautiously, ever mindful of his surroundings took this moment of silence to speak. “You find me different than the rest Padawan? The question of how I’ve not succumbed to the dark side must have crossed your mind, as it has so many others... my comment earlier of regarding the two halves of one whole.” He grinned slightly as he allowed a slightly ornery tone to play into his question. Iston hadn’t probed or done anything deceitful, but Iston new people, he had seen the best and worst, and after so long to adhering to his way, so many failed apprentices, and those that wouldn’t even talk to him anymore, he no longer felt the need to tip toe when it came to these questions. “ Speak freely, otherwise I would not have asked young Mathieu.”

 

[Mathieu Brion]

It was not long before Iston started directing the troops. Mathieu had done the same back when he was a Mercenary - it was not uncommon for him to find himself grouped up with a few others, just as unexperienced as he was, or even less so. One way or another, he ended up in charge - at least some of the times it happened. But he never quite commanded the same kind of authority as the Master did. If Mathieu was an older brother who had a vague idea of how things were done, Iston was the worldly grandfather who knew how they were done.

The Padawan threw the first mentioned Lieutentant, Uriah, a look and let out a quick "I think they're that way. Saw a large heat vent on the way here" He pointed in the direction of the large vents before returning his attention to the Master. The two had a task to complete and with taht, they continued down the hallway as the others split off.

What path they were taking was not clear - but the two of them had the force - getting a sense for where their foes were was not too hard of a task. But it would be a bit before they reached their destination and the elder seemed to capitalise on that. The sudden question and ensuing comment was unexpected to say the least. Not only had the Master rather precisely guessed what had been going through Mathieu's mind, but it was also a rather deep conversation to have while moving through an enemy base that almost certainly contained a dark force user.

While he trusted Iston to be able to focus both on the Sith and their conversation, Mathieu did not have the same confidence in his own capacities. Still, the question had been asked and after an unsure "Uhm..." he nodded. "You are right, Master Voronwe." The answer was short and brief, but he did not know how else to approach it while also trying to keep concentration on their task at hand.

The two continued on into a staircase which went up two floors "I just don't know how you do it. The risk of falling should be much higher without the Jedi code to guide you." he grew silent as the passed by the second floor, not wanting to risk the two of them getting heard "And what you spoke of, it didn't seem to care much for the code. I might be wrong, but I thought it was the Sith code that mentioned strength and power" his voice grew silent once more - for they neared the third floor. Mathieu needed to concentrate, for there seemed to be a dark presence on the other side of the door - but it was too vague for him to pinpoint a location.

Iston Voronwe

 

[Iston Voronwe]

Mathieu Brion

Iston listened as Mathieu spoke, noting the curiosity and caution in the Padawans tone. He wasn’t afraid to ask questions, which meant he didn’t just follow blindly on presuppositions. However, Iston sighed as he listened. Generation, upon generations of Jedi tradition... it was not an easy thing to read upon the lines on. His mind wondered to his Master, Deliana Allora. She was as staunch and fierce as a rancor. She was unyielding when they trained, demanding perfection, and very few ever made it to Knighthood... he remembered when she picked him — the other younglings had horror stories for her, but as his mind wandered, pushing the emotions that began to surface, he spoke.



“Simply put young Mathieu, I can recite a Jedi nursery rhyme until I’m blue in the face....” Iston chided slightly... he remembered Master Allora stating these exact words. “....but if conviction and resolve to completely adhere to those words aren’t there... The purpose behind it falls short — landing on deaf ears, because it wasn’t a ‘code’ problem— it was a person problem, core defects were never truly faced....thus leading to a falling away to an extreme state.”



He sighed as he paused, stopping for a moment as he put his hand on him and spoke closely to him... battlefield or not, this had to be passed down. Iston knew, he knew he could perish at any moment, and the young man that stood before him reminded Iston so much of his younger self. He saw a marble stone... that held so much, unshaped beauty within. Mathieu was the future, and it was Iston’s job to give him everything he could, his Padawan or not, he was still someone dear and precious to him.



“You are correct — the sith code does mention that.... but that’s not what strength I am implying. The Sith, focus on only the pursuit of strength — obtaining it at all cost.” He paused as the implication of his knowing of the Sith code had been mentioned. Answers and questions for another time. “...passion begets strength; strength begets power... this is their cycle — not, ours.”





// ”Knowledge fades without the strength to act and Power blinds without the serenity to see’ \\



“Knowledge is the experience of another, and when we choose not to apply that knowledge, when we choose not to be humble, to ask questions when it’s hard or we’re afraid... or simply admit we were wrong; we have missed true strength Mathieu. Pride in our knowledge, in our own power and strength blinds us to reason, it robs our serenity because as things progress and get worse — and they do... the lie then creeps into our mind that we can never go back.”



As they came to the final floor of the complex, it held a great meeting room and a door at the end of the hallway... as the two approached the door, he put his hand on it, and felt out through the force.... he, wasn’t able to make out any clear or discernible presence other than the room ahead of them, held something off a foul and dark nature. He turned to Mathieu, and smiled slightly. “I quite enjoyed our talk...” But as he spoke aloud, his voice would echo in Mathieus mind << You promised me you would take care.... i can’t get a proper read on what’s through these doors... be alert. >> With that said, Iston silently opened the doors and the two would head in.

 

[Mathieu Brion]

The Master kept talking, almost as if they were not in a combat zone. Mathieu still listened - Iston seemed old and wise and if he had something to say, he would also have the Padawan's attention. Still, to claim that he listened with full attention would be a lie. Plenty of focus was still put on staying safe.

In a way, what he said reminded the broad-shouldered Morellian of some of the classes he had been to. It was important to know the meaning of the code, not just the words. It was important to believe in the spirit of the code, not just the things it bothered to express. Perhaps the difference between the elderly Master he was with now and those he knew from the Temple was not all too different. For now, he would not comment on it but simply nodded - they needed to move on.

Seemingly, Iston disagreed, for he put his hand an Mathieu and spoke with a serious tone. He was dismissing the Sith code. It was good to hear, but then, Mathieu had never really suspected him of following it either. While his teachings were unorthodox, he still seemed to be a follower of the light. When the oddly timed class continued, the Padawan listened with interest. Hearing the words repeated, Mathieu tried to draw a conclusion from it "So, are you saying that knowledge doesn't come to any use unless we also have the strength to utilise it and its fruits?"

His guess seemed to be a little off, for it soon became apparent that Iston spoke of strength as the strength of character - the ability to keep asking and questioning the information that was gathered. "A lesson to remain curious, Master Voronwe?" he asked as the elder finished.

Soon, the two of them would be ready to enter the door. Mathieu sensed that something was off and so did Iston - probably even moreso than the Padawan. Nodding, he waited for the elder to open the door and with that, the two went in. Once they were in, an Imperial scientist could be seen staring into a lab on the opposite side of the room. It was a large generously proportioned window that allowed for a clear vision both in and out of the lab, there to keep the lab isolated without breaking contact completely.

Three darkly robed figures stood behind the glass, fortunately with their backs facing the scientist and thus the two Jedi. A conversation was happening between the scientist and the three figures, but it was obvious how the Sith suddenly grew quiet. Mathieu assumed that they sensed that something was off. Quietly rushing forth, he wrapped an arm around her with a hand over her mouth as the other took a strong hold around her waist. He didn't have make much effort to quickly pick her up and dash over to a corner where they could not be seen if the Sith turned around.

The Padawan kept his eyes fixed on Iston. His hand was positioned to deprive the scientist of oxygen which would sooner or later render her unconscious. Still, he was ready to stop if the command was given.

Iston Voronwe

 

[Iston Voronwe]

Mathieu Brion

As they entered the room, Iston was well pleased as Mathieu acted quickly and efficiently in detaining the scientists from giving away their location.... but regardless, the fish bowl they were put in, had them on display for all to see. Iston looked at Mathieu, his look indicating for him to put the scientist asleep, and unharmed. It’s not that she wasn’t harmful to them potentially, no — she was an unarmed civilian now caught in this, and Iston refused to harm anyone that posed no immediate danger.



As the two Jedi knelt behind a corner counter Iston rose his head to peer over at the trio of Sith.... sweat rolled down his temple as he thought on next moves. The one that stood directly in the middle was definitely stronger than the other two; possibly am Sith Inquisitor... or even a Master. The other two, he had to imagine were apprentices... but this was not a good position to be in. He looked back at Mathieu... and reached out through the force. << Mathieu — I fear this may be potentially more... problematic than I initially thought. Stay hidden, I’m going to draw them out of the the room, and when I give the signal, go for the one closest to you... with all intent to kill Mathieu... can you do this? >>



Iston stood slightly, as he allowed his back to hunch, he walked towards the middle of the room now with a slight limp as he put the appearance of injury in the old man. Iston spoke, his voice now seemingly amplified by the force. “Let us stop playing games Sith.... you know I’m here, and now you have me.” The three turned as there hands came up and the glass seemed to shatter, shards now all suspended in the air, until suddenly; the glass began to swirl towards Iston, much like a drill, aiming to kill him. His hands came up as the air immediately grew warm and the glass seemed to dissolve into a fine glitter. The middle figure spoke to Iston, the voice rasping and crawling out from his mouth. “No more games.... Gray Pilgrim... mighty Force Brigadier.... Darth Occula.” Iston’s ambers eyes narrrowed as for once, Mathieu would see nothing but contempt on his face. Iston knew... this man, this shrouded figure was of an older time... he knew of iston and knew of his, colored past. Chit... how? “That was a long time ago dark servant... I am a servant of the light — wielder of Ashla’s will — go back to the shadows!” Iston’s hands would them shoot upwards as he let out a massive force repulse — which tore forwards, tearing through the furniture as the trio would be forced to break rank to dodge. Iston screamed as he pressed into the repulse... giving Mathieu the signal. “NOW MATHIEU!”

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Mathieu's grip was strong. The scientist started to claw at his arms, but he wouldn't budge and the strong fabrics of it wouldn't tear. It was not long before her attempts ceased and her body went limb from a loss of consciousness. Gently, the Padawan laid her down onto the floor, only looking up to hear Iston's message.

It was a surprising message. The Padawan had killed many during his time as a Mercenary and he was trying to do what was right now that he was a Jedi. Leaping at someone to kill them was certainly not the path he wanted. The Master had already proven that he was more radical than many others, and while Mathieu trusted him, he would not act without question. This was over the line and with that, he shook his head 'no'. There was not much which Iston could do about it, because he had just caught the Sith's attention.

Listening in silence, the Padawan grabbed his lightsabre and crept closer to the glass. He was sure to stay outside of their foe's vision and eventually ended up pressing himself against the door that lead into the lab. His eyes hopped over to the Master as his nicknames were recounted. Darth Occula. It was an interesting revelation and for a few moments, he looked at the elder, scanning him from top to toe. The young Morellian really was too trusting for his own good - he had never thought that Iston might have such a shady past and he still didn't view the man with much skepticism. He had only displayed a light sided signature and seemed friendly enough. Maybe his trusting nature was what would one day get him killed.

Right before the signal was given, the Padawan's hand wrapped around the door knob and then he opened. The two were working well together and with a force enhanced leap, he charged at on of the foes to the side, landing at his side, while quickly moving in behind him. With the stroke of his now ignited blade, Mathieu met his foe's weapon. But the lightsider was more powerful than most - both in raw physical strength and when he further enhanced it with the force. He could feel how the arms of the dark sider buckled, which let his blue blade cut off both legs right below the knees.

Continuing with the momentum which he already had, Mathieu swept his blade towards the more powerful opponent. But this was more of a challenge, for the foe redirected his swing to the floor and used the opening to blast the large Morellian with lightning, throwing him back at a counter in the process, causing quite a few glasses and vials to spill their contents or shake in a quire. Letting out a pained grunt, Mathieu raised his blade to defend himself against further attacks. He was far from ready to yield, in large parts due to his impressive physical capacities that allowed him considerable endurance and staying power.

Iston Voronwe

 

[Iston Voronwe]

Mathieu Brion

Iston watched, rather sensed the events that unfolded as much as he was able as he keenly watched the Sith Lord in front of him. The one that Mathieu had dismembered from knee down, was still very much alive — and would be waking up from the shock soon, fueled by a new rage and desire for revenge... that one was still a threat. The able bodied apprentice now removing himself from the debris from the force wave Iston had sent out mere moments before now stood next to his Master... and then, he saw in those few calculating moments, Mathieu charge the Sith Lord, his amber eyes widening slightly, the concern in his voice present, and too late. “Mathieu!... No, don’t!....” The lightning struck and deflected ever so slightly as he eyed him, reaching out to ensure his safety.... only for a venomous voice to cut the tense air. “Your concern is misplaced Jedi... “ The looming Sith Lord moved his hand towards Mathieu again, lightning pouring from his hands as like a blur, Iston appeared in front of the young Padawan and began to absorb the lightning, an orb forming in his palm as the old man grunted slightly. “Your no match for the dark side Voronwe! Give up! Accept your fate!... just.. like, her...” His eyes widened as memories almost seemed to rush back to him, the lightning now fully absorbed would be immediately redirected back, but at the apprentice next to the Sith Lord, a singular smoking hole now seen at their heart as they would fall flat to the ground, now lifeless. “Damn you... damn you Sith.” He grew quiet as he and the shrouded figure bore holes into one another by their stand off... “How dare you mention her... Tabor Beyorn?” The mans face had been shrouded ecer since the initial encounter... a depraved laugh now heard as the sickly hand removed the hood to reveal a disfigured face, eyes corrupt and full of malice. “Guilty, as... charged Is...ton.” The mention of his own name from his fallen comrade made Iston shiver slightly as he once again, began to process the situation, calming himself to gain an upper edge.



The situation was complicated, far more than Iston had planned. This man, this perversion, was none other than one of his sibling rivals that had struck down his Master during a training session, she never saw it coming, not the way it went down, no one would have. Sweat moved down his brow as his breath hitched slightly, his hand singed and throbbing in pain. His eyes turned slightly as he spoke low to Mathieu. “Are you alright?... this foe, he and I, are evenly matched. I need you Mathieu. I understand earlier you may not have agreed with me in killing another life....” He paused, a twinge if guilt heard in his voice. The tone quickly subsided as he now spoke with a resolve, one that since the beginning he had. Iston was different that was true, he was from a different era — but he knew the hardest decisions in life always were the ones that regarded those pertaining to life and death. “All life is precious, but Mathieu, this man, this, creature — he will not hesitate to kill me or you... I need you to be ready Mathieu.” Iston reactivated his saber, now in his left hand. “I did not expect that deflection to harm me as badly as it did, but I believe between the two of us... we can, and will overwhelm him.” Truth be told, the deflection in question had been done hastily, and rushed — he was happy he had deflected it, but had been ready to use his own body to shield Mathieu. His stance widened slightly as he awaited for Mathieu to ready himself.