Star Wars CLOSED Epitaph Between Prologue

IC: Darth Caedus and Darkness
Sith Quarter

The Dark Lord grinned, fatigued, but still powerful, for he was a Skywalker by blood, though a Solo by name.

It rhymed, in it's own way, as he knew others such; his mother, his sister, his late brother... even Darth Vader.

There was a synchronicity to it. A duality, even.

Anakin and Vader... Luke and Leia... Jacen and Jaina... Anakin and...

Caedus grimaced, and refocused.

His lax moment had been more of a recovery one, as he watched, slowly, but surely, the three Protectors that stood before him, using the Force to slightly dilate matters, lowering his lightsaber and clipping it to his belt.

He had thought his strategic goals fulfilled, but the warrior-monk was a problematic one.

Of course he would be.

As N'Tael slid down a wall, leaving a bloody patch, Jin Long went for the direct assault, blasting through the attack and likely drawing a shield upon his front. Caedus didn't move a muscle, instead regarding with his peripheral awareness Atreus, wondering to himself. One direct assault, two support roles.

Alright.

Darkness, if you would?

The moment before Jin slammed into his position he leapt up, touching the Force to speed him up, slamming his doubled-fist into the back of the monk and with the Force sent him flying through a building, but before Caedus had landed, Ben Solo was there, drawing the Force into the palm of his hand to send Caedus crashing away, soaring through the space N'Tael had just been occupying -

Caedus winced, further from Atreus than any of the others, and he roared, a Force wave which sent an unprepared Ben flying back and ripped up the street and hurled Ben at her. The hundred dozen bruises and scratches and wounds that Caedus had taken nipped at him, and he plucked his lightsaber from his belt anew and looked for N'Tael -

---
A street over

There was a rustle of robes, and suddenly Jin was surrounded by fabric, which had not arms but merely shape.

There was a pressure upon him.

A word at the tip of a Force shard into his mind.

Whether his battering would leave him open -

Whether he was surprised -

Whether he was unprepared -

The word at the tip was a simple one.

Sleep.

TAG: @greyjedi125, @TheAdmiral, @darthbernael

TAG: @Corellian_Outrider (TAG outstanding)

 

IC N’Tael
Chaos and Blood

Raising a bubble of force energy around himself as the rubble fell, N’Tael kept his eyes out for the Sith, he’d called himself, for some odd reason. And then he saw the monk go flying by, to attack the man. Only to have his slit pupiled eyes widen as the man blurred and suddenly was behind the monk, punching him so hard he was thrown into a nearby building.

He reached out one three clawed hand to slow the monk's flight after Caedus had thrown him. Even as he attempted to do so his senses screamed in outrage. Dropping his stance quickly his eyes flicked over and saw as Ben’s attack threw the Darksider directly at him. He raced to one side and up the side of one of the buildings a few steps before turning.

Springing off the wall he came to his feet again. He had to dodge again very quickly as first Ben and then large chunks of the street went careening past. Once again he tried to slow the man’s flight as the stripes on his hide began to turn a deep purple with all the use of the Force.

A snap and a hiss sounded in the opposite direction from Ben and his snout swung in that direction. It seemed he was the only one on his feet to be able to face the man, for the moment. ”So be it.” he muttered.

Brushing himself off, he held out one hand, feeling the Forcesaber leap from his belt. Closing his eyes for a moment, he tried to calm himself. His eyes snapped open, the color matching his scales and the saber as it flared into life. Taking a two handed grip he slid one haunch forward and hissed at their foe.

”Thissss insssanity mussst end. You mussst not dessstroy thissss placccce.”

And a roar leaped forth from his maw and he surged forward, saber hilt gripped lightly, ready to swing, as he broke into a run at Caedus.

TAGS: @Sinrebirth, @greyjedi125, @TheAdmiral

 

IC: Darth Caedus
Drained

The objective had been fulfilled, and he was starting to wane.

This was hardly as strenuous as his fight with Mara, or even Luke, but it was getting to him. These five were innately powerful Force users, and when the nonhuman roared and rushed at him, and the woman he had been fighting shouted out his name - N'Tael - Caedus drew his weapon arm back, and with a tweak of the Force from his free hand, nudged aside the nonhumans blade and impaled his own through his chest.

It burst out his back -

Satisfied that the wound would at least cause a commotion, he deactivated his blade and touched the Force to his feet so he could leap up and away, heading the opposite direction that Darkness and Jin had fallen. Ben, shoved off Lagertha, looked from N'Tael to Caedus, and back again, rushing to the former with the Force gathered around his hands.

"Leave him, Lagertha!" Ben shouted, to stop her chasing after Caedus. Sek'nos, looking battered, was coming up too, a trickle of blood running down his forehead. There were Sith across many of the area looking out their devastated homes, peering at the Protectors. Sirens sounded in the distance; officers of the law coming to the disaster.

Sek'nos looked from N'Tael to Lagertha and moved to support her, but grew awkward as he closed with her as he didn't want to offend her warriors pride -

TAG: @darthbernael, @TheAdmiral
---
A street over

The sleep was fought hard, fought off, fought away -

Darkness huffed. There was a swirl in the Force, and Caedus became more distant in the Force, and Jin would seem to lose consciousness for the merest instance, his resistance cutting through the shadow.

There was a shuffle, and as Jin's eyes opened, he would see a wizened old Sith peering down at him. She prodded him with her walking stick. "You're not dead are you, Protector? That Destructor needs putting down, after all."

TAG: @greyjedi125
---
Nearly a year ago

The two Black-Coats, one tall, one short, turned to look at Sheel, and the taller of them fluttered a hand at the shorter. "Let me sort this; you go shadow something, sure." The shorter one turned away, looking back at the Togruta for a moment, and then walking down a street. The taller, the Master, he peered down at Shayla, and then back at Sheel. "Well we're not supposed to bump into each other again, until, well, after."

He cocked his head. "I guess you sensed something or other?"

"And adopted a stray along the way?" His voice was as smooth as it was when they first met, all those weeks and months ago. It truly was him, mannerisms and all. His voice cooled slightly and he almost whispered.

"Keeping that Holocron safe, right?"

TAG: @Corellian_Outrider, @darthbernael (a Zas'tel memory)

 

IC N’Tael
Collapsed

N’Tael vaguely heard the warrior woman’s cry as he charged forward. Knowing they had to work together was one thing but when you were the only one still standing you had to do what you could to ensure the others could get back on their feet and join the battle.

His fluid run toward the Dark Lord came to an abrupt halt. His confused for a moment eyes saw his blade out of line and then he felt something pressed to his chest. His snout dipped and he saw the hilt of their foe’s saber against his scales. A cough and blood welled up his throat and dripped from his maw.

Lifting his head again he saw the determination on their foe’s face even as his eyes began to dim. And then he dropped, as the saber deactivated. His head bounced on the cobbles of the street and then lay full length upon the ground. Letting his mind delve into his physical body, he tried to determine how bad the damage was.

His senses felt one being approaching and the touch of the Force in their hands, heard a seemingly distant warning to another as they pounded forward. He tried to raise his head but it felt as though it weighed a ton.

His eyes flickered for a moment, changing colors before they settled back to their usual purple as he tried to see who was there. ”Isss...isss...he...gone?”

He coughed and laid his head back on the street, feeling chill. Closing his eyes he could feel the racial memories almost screaming at him to stay awake but sleep seemed to beckon more and more.

TAGS: @Sinrebirth, @greyjedi125, @TheAdmiral

 

IC: The Master
A year ago...

"Of course, we all need to do our bit," the Master said thoughtfully as he watched the younger Togruta.

“It appears that something is preying upon the people here. I understand I must not cross paths with the others until called upon... but will they see to this?”

The Master looked back, pausing for a long moment. A longer moment than not, as if he was distracted by something that he was seeing. His gaze, though hidden, definitely seemed to be elsewhere, from the way he held still. "Of course they will. The divisions here... they're what the Masters are focused upon at present."

"This beacon you say... you'll need to catch up to it sooner rather than later, I bet." The Master turned aside, tucking his hands behind his back. "Goodbye, Sheel." He didn't end with his typical statement - the phrase he had coined May the Force be with you, and he began to walk off, his head bowed in thought.

"Coming through!" There was a cry out, and Shayla squeezed her eyes shut in panic as a man nearly fell over her, skidding to a halt. He was a muscular red nonhuman, a Sith, and he winced. "Sorry about that!" He nearly tripped over his own feet -

TAG: @Corellian_Outrider
---
IC: Ben Solo
One year later

Drawing upon the techniques Rey had performed on him was, well, it was difficult. She was a natural, and though he could pick up a degree of she knew through their Dyad, as much as she had absorbed many of his skills, especially with a lightsaber, he wasn't nearly as open as her to the Force and she was in another timeline.

An aged Sith woman, the Matriarch, she had helped Jin to the others, using a small Force presence to help him, and Sek'nos winced as he saw her, rushing over. "Grandmother, you shouldn't be up."

She snorted, almost snarled, actually. "When my husband dies, I will be up -"

"Up?" Sek'nos felt his stomach drop. "Grandfather?"

He looked at Lagertha again, understanding, horrified, and the Force seemed to rumble with his upset. Ben held N'Tael, his hand atop the wound, as he concentrated. Why wasn't it working?

He peered in the Force, hard, seeing interconnectivity between N'Tael, Jin, Lagertha, Sek'nos -

It stank of the dark side.

He fell back, surprised, ceasing the healing, and the Matriarch tsked, pushing Sek'nos aside and taking Jin's hand in hers placing it upon the wound, then Lagertha's, and finally she glared at Sek'nos, who joined them.

"Will him better, Protectors. Your bond, a power, it is. Make it so, or die, he will." She tapped her stick on the ground for emphasis.

Sek'nos' emotions were boiling with fear, with anguish, as if the Force itself had betrayed him -

The Matriarch didn't intervene; it was not her place - they would need to do this together, or not at all, saving each other, as much as the ones obviously wounded. The aged Sith woman simply turned away and peered at Ben Solo.

"I suspect you need to tell me your story, young man."

TAG: @greyjedi125, @darthbernael, @TheAdmiral
---
IC: Darth Caedus
Shadows

In an alleyway strewn with debris and detritus, they regrouped. One, a floating cloak, and the other, a Dark Lord of the Sith as he huffed, and released all manner of energy to just stand upright, bowed over. That had been exhausting. "Did you get it?"

"No," Darkness said softly, and Caedus stood upright, fury eclipsing his face.

"Why not? I did my bit, distracted them, added to the tinderbox of fear here -"

"It's not the right time."

Caedus seethed, and the rubbish beside them became animated by his rage.

"They'll find us."

He released it with a breath out, and Caedus stepped forward, looming over Darkness.

"I think it's about time we had a chat."

Darkness paused, sounding thoughtful. "I suppose it is."

TAG: No One

 

IC: Sek'nos Rath
A year ago, Nouane City

The Sith man paused, glancing back at the Togruta. "Off centre?"

He narrowed his eyes, taking in Sheel and the child. "My apologies," he grinned uncertainly. "I was pursuing a pair of men in Black-Coats, did you perchance see them?" He cocked his head slightly. "Or sense him?"

"My name is Sek'nos Rath," the younger man said, stepping forward to offer his hand, even as Shayla shied back, behind Sheel's leg. "Have you been summoned to the City for a greater reason?" He was woefully cheerful, completely and utterly so, spilling enquiries as they filled his head -

TAG: @Corellian_Outrider
---
The Long Dreams of N'Tael

Blood-loss robbed one of consciousness, and in sleep, one often stepped upon the divide of Life and Death.

It was an inevitable element of events.

A Black-Coat similar to that of the Master's stood, a shorter man, a human chin evident as he peered.

"I was told to watch, and not to interfere... and yet here I am, noticed, it would seem..."

TAG: @darthbernael

@TheAdmiral, @greyjedi125 (please respond in-thread to singles, rather than combos to the last TAG).

 

IC N’tael and the Black-Coat by @Sinrebirth
Dreams and Not Dreams

N’tael opened his eyes, grunting as he felt the dull ache where he’d been run through. Letting his senses out, he could feel that he was in that twilight land between Life and Death. He stood and faced the Black-Coat that stood before him.

A grunting, coughing laugh echoed from his maw. ”Why am I not sssurprissssed to sssee you here? And, of anyone, why are you ssssurprissssed I can ssssee you? After all...no if you don’t know why then I will not sssspoil the sssurprissse.”

He laughed again, ”The fact we both ssstand here tellsss me my companionsss have had their own isssssuesss trying to reach or heal me after the attack.”

His eyes shifted from the purple they had turned to a silvery grey before returning to purple, ”Ssso ssshall we make the bessst of thisss, while we both are here, Watcher.” The last showing he knew more than he ought to about who stood before him.

"I know," the Black-Coat said, drily. "I've been piqued, for I cannot interfere, but you know that."

He amended. "Knew, perhaps."

"The girl - the woman; she passes from memory whenever I try to remember her... but I am sure I have met her... have you? Do you know her?"

He was referencing the so-called No Name, of course.

N’Tael gave another coughing laugh. ”Sssshe had hidden herssself well from memory, but you would be ssssurprisssed what dying doesss for your memory, or almossst dying whichever it issss now.” His eyes shifted to grey once more, his snout shook from side to side.

”Thisss me, thisss body, never knew her but the more eternal me, yesss I do recall her now, and pity her in a way, ssshattered asss ssshe isss.” His snout dipped, a sense of sadness rose in a wave around him.

"But you have met her," he said, even more confused, as the memory cleared up for N'Tael. "The No Name woman, and the one who desperately struck at you, they're one and the same, you see..." There was a moment of wonder. "The two elements of Braata Danlos, now we know they have two names... not that they were supposed to."

There was a frown.

"What the Masters original intentions, and what has happened... they don't match, do they?"

N’tael had to, couldn’t stop himself from another coughing laugh. This time his eyes stayed grey as he spoke, the sibilants suddenly disappearing from his speech, ”You misunderstand, Watcher. This body truly never met the one who No Name came from. But you and I have, which you should know.”

Somehow, even with the reptilian form, his posture changed, seemed somewhat different as the grey eyes stared at the Black-Coat, ”That the one who attacked is the other half now makes sense. As to intentions and what has happened, how do you know that this is not what the Truth was of his intentions?”

His eyes faded back into the purple they were since the joining with his Forcesaber, ”Now do you sssee, brother of mine, of a sssort?”

"I do," he chuckled softly. "So if we exist in the unintended consequences... what next? Who is the true enemy of the Master, and if so, are they the enemy of us - and the new Protectors?"

That was the question.

What was the Master of Masters?

Benevolent, or malevolent?

There were all manner of discussions between the Shadow and the Master to name their foe as the Darkness…

N’Tael attempted what he’d heard was called an enigmatic smile but with his snout it looked more pained than enigmatic. A sigh, some things weren’t fair and having a reptilian snout that could only appear threatening or closed was one. ”I believe what isss mossst important isss the sssurvival of the galaxy, whether that meansss assssisssting the Light or the Dark when it isss needed. I have ssseen, my people have, the apathy that can resssult when there isss too much Light. And the Darknessss encroachesss everywhere and mussst be accccepted to exisst but not allowed to win either.”

He tilted his head, watching his ‘brother’, ”I remember many of the disssscusssionsss with the Massster, and I have a sssenssse of hisss plansss but I do not know that he meanssss the galaxy or the Protectorssss well. I musssst sssurvive to be able to asssissst them in breaking the ccccycle of reverencccce of him sssso they can truly Protect.”

"Then we are in agreement, N'Tael." The moment began to pass, and fade.

"You must survive," his gloved hand held out to take an appendage in his. "So we all survive."

"So we can find out what happened to Sheel Ix."

N’tael lifted one three fingered hand to the Black-Coats grasp. ”Yesss, the firssst quessstion isss whether my companionsss will sssave me, usss, or not.”

He rose to as full a standing position as he could, ”Asss to the other, that isss a myssstery that mussst be sssolved asss well, asss even I do not know what happened, and assside from you, Watcher, I ssshould know.”

TAGS: @Sinrebirth, @greyjedi125, @TheAdmiral, @Corellian_Outrider (Mentioned), @QueenSabe7 (Mentioned)

 

IC: Darkness
Hill-Top

Darkness stood with Darth Caedus looking over the City. "Basically, this isn't the real Nouane."

"What do you mean?" He said angrily. It was here where he'd 'fallen' into this reality, shortly followed, apparently, by another Solo.

"The Master planned for people inevitably travelling back to investigate ," the Darkness said drily. "So he fiddled with their perception. It's exceedingly hard to find a way back, after all, so you need to focus upon where you're going. So everyone comes back to Nouane, because Dwartii is a dead, barren world, and everyone knows the Sage of Dwartii originate from Nouane."

"I follow," Caedus said with some uncertainty. "It's a bait and switch."

"Unintended consequences, but basically," Darkness said. "Nouane was destroyed, and renamed Dwartii. A New Nouane was set up to balance things out, though nobody realises as much... and, well, eventually even the 'New' in a world's name fades away even if it was known."

"Because?"

"Well, because there was a Change."

The Sith Lord looked at Darkness blankly. It was difficult to maintain frustration with Darkness when he was answering his questions... even if in a roundabout manner. Because, after all...

Jacen Solo had wanted to Change something.

"You're teaching me how to do that."

"Maybe."

TAG: No-One
---
IC: The Matriarch
Nouane, Sith Quarter, and then...

The wound was complete healed; miraculously so.

N'Tael would come to in the Clock-Temple, and they had a chance to regroup and recover.

The Matriarch came with them, and Ben was holding her hand. The Sith woman was interested in his story.

About his insecurities, about how the voices had preyed upon them. Snoke, Vader, and, eventually, Palpatine... or, rather, always Palpatine. He had spoken of Rey, and his connection to her, how they were each half of the same person, a dyad, a phrase which caused the Matriarch's eyes to widen slightly. His father, his uncle, and his mother, all gone. He spoke at length, and Lagertha and Jin would hear it all.

"So it sounds like," the old Sith said. "You wanted to change things... and here you are."

They were around the impromptu bed for N'Tael in the main room, where they all found their 'sabers. The Matriarch looked to each of them, her wizened eyes taking them in. Jin, Lagertha, Sek'nos, N'Tael. "Makes me wonder if that man, that 'Darth Caedus', he has the same intention..."

"A Dyad, he mentions," the Matriarch took in Ben. "Two halves; Ben Solo and Darth Caedus; light and dark."

"This knowledge of changing things, it's second-hand, it seems... Ben coming here, Caedus coming here. For different reasons, they're both here..." the Matriarch looked at them each pointedly. "It strikes me that you're supposed to be Protecting the future, no?"

Ben started - "You should not be here, and you know it, my boy."

The Sith woman looked at them. "Whoever seeks to make Changes, they are the enemy of the Protectors. We shall return Ben to his time, and then return Caedus to his..." Her eyes lidded, and she leaned with two hands upon her walking stick.

"Perhaps then, your true enemy will be revealed."

TAG: @greyjedi125, @TheAdmiral, @darthbernael (combo)

TAG: @Corellian_Outrider as an update

 

IC: Sek'nos Rath
A year odd ago

He looked at the Togruta, and mused on Sheel's last words.

"Though, you are having difficulty, no? From one hunter to another, I find that if you are constantly chasing, sometimes it helps to take a moment to pause and a new path may come to you.”

Sek'nos titled his head. "Maybe," he said as if he wasn't entirely convinced; he was a teenager, and often followed impulses as if unable to think. The Sith nodded slowly. "I mean, you have the Force, don't you?"

"The Force...?" Shayla said, confused. The Sith caught a sense of her thoughts of the Black-Coat's, and where they had gone. He glanced that way, his thoughts following hers. He hadn't dipped into the child's mind, she was just loud, and untempered.

"The Master and his Gazing Eye know everything, so I've no doubts you're one of the Protectors too, but..." He looked back the way. "I need to speak to him again, and you seem on your own quest." Sek'nos took one more glance at Sheel, enfolding the Togruta in the warmth of his comradeship, and smiled.

"May the Force be with you, Sheel Ix."

At that, he took off, chasing after the Black-Coat's.

TAG: @Corellian_Outrider
---
IC: Darkness
Elsewhere

"So the Change, it occurs when someone pushes against the Force's flow," Caedus said slowly.

"It has to be more than a minor change," Darkness illuminated. "Some no-name dying in a different manner is hardly going to send a large enough ripple; the Force will simply adjust."

"So if I, say, wanted to become the Dark Man?"

"Well, yes, that would be a sufficiently large thing," the spirit said carefully. "Is that what you truly want? To become the next great Traitor?"

Caedus snorted. "I've already killed my aunt, and tried to murder my entire family. I imagine I qualify for that already."

Darkness floated there. "So this is why you flow-walked here?"

"I wanted to be sure... but... the Changes, they appear to be followed by some kind of... correction."

"You do realise you'll forget most of this when you return to your time?" Darkness said, drily.

"You do realise I'm the grandchild of the Chosen One... I'll remember a lot more than you want."

Darkness bobbed there for a long moment.

"Maybe."

TAG: No-One

 

OOC: A fun combo with @greyjedi125, @TheAdmiral, and @Sinrebirth

IC N’Tael, Jing Long, Lagertha, Sek’nos, Ben
Clock Tower

N’Tael listened, letting himself relax in the bed, as much as he could. He had to shift from time to time, as his tail wouldn’t let him get comfortable in such a bed. He knew much of what the Matriarch was saying, could feel it in the Kwa memories, and the senses he had at his disposal. Sadly, he couldn’t reveal all to his fellow Protectors, but that didn’t mean that he wouldn’t try to keep them all alive and rid Nouane of the dark half of the dyad. Of them all, he knew exactly who their foe was…

He coughed, sitting up slightly, ”I don’t want to sssseem rude, Ma’am, but perhapssss a reversssal of that thought isss more appropriate. Sssending Caedusss back firssst and then Ben, asss he could asssissst in the removal of Caedusss might be a better ssstrategy. That isss jussst my thought.”

Sek'nos nodded. "The sooner Caedus is gone, the better." He regarded the Matriarch. "But how do we know if we're doing the right thing?"

The old woman cast her gaze to N'Tael. "We'll know..." It passed on to Jin and Lagertha. "We shall need to fine-tune our warriors, though; much to learn we have about fighting Sith Lords."

"I'm a warrior!" Sek'nos objected.

"A waif, you are, discipline, you need," she said without even looking at him.

Sek'nos pursed his lips and silenced himself.

He'd show her.

Jin Long had been silent, considering all that was being said. He was inwardly relieved that the Force graced them by returning N'Tael to the Protectors. Each one of them had a critical role to play, moreover, they balanced each other seamlessly. The challenge now was finding the escaped Sith Lord.

The concept of a 'Force Dyad' mirrored some of his early monastic teachings, yet there was more he needed to understand in a deeper sense. But what was clear to him, was the fact that both Ben and Caedus needed to return from whence they had come. The longer they remained, the more contention they created, the more the balance was unsettled. For a brief second, Jin's mind took him back to his meeting of the masked Lord and Ladies of the City.

The monk gently shook his head before he spoke.

"I agree with N'Tael." he announced, glancing briefly to the Kwa and offering him a respectful nod.

"...and with you Matriarch." He added.

"The threat that Caedus represents must be stopped. If Ben has a connection to this 'Sith Lord', then he can help us find him. Cadeus must be returned to his place of origin before he can cause irreparable damage, once that's accomplished, then Ben can be returned to his companion."

Jin maintained a calm demeanor despite not having all the answers, but by the Force, they would get them.

Lagertha was leaning on the wall, her body still ached from the fight, but the biggest pain was in her mind and soul. All her years of training and preparations, she could not protect the innocents. She needed to be better, faster and stronger... Next time she was going to finish Caedus or whatever his name was.

"I agree, sending him back first should be our priority." hopefully no one saw the gleam in her eyes, the gleam that meant that she wanted blood. Oh she was going to send Caedus back, just not in one piece.

"How, is the first question."

Ben answered her. "There is some kind of tear atop the hill, overlooking the planet. We can reopen it, I'm sure."

At that, the Sith woman nodded. "But the question is, bait, no?" She raised a claw at Jin Long. "Separated from us, you were. Why? Is there a special reason why you were?"

Sek'nos frowned. That was true; he'd been diverted from them... the younger Sith glanced at the monk.

Jin Long was pondering, his hand holding his chin.

So there was a doorway of some kind. Now they had a location. Having the key that would open it was a different concern. He would get back around to that, however.

"The timing of your arrival...." He began, thinking back. "It seemed fortuitous. Then, there was something else...some kind of connection with her?" He said now, referring to 'No Name'.

"Is she somehow connected to you? or Him?"

The Sith woman shook her head. "During the fight, Master Long," she said. "You were taken to another alleyway, yes?" A poke in his chest. "Are you special?"

Her question cut across his.

Jin Long blushed, because she sounded like one of the village Elders when he was young and she had reminded him of one of their many moments together.

"We are all the same, Matriarch. Our actions and choices makes us distinct." He answered easily.

"Yes, I was." He spoke, responding her question directly. "What do you wish to know?"

The monk realized the questioning had turned to him, but he was more than willing to be scrutinized, for he had nothing to hide, as he was beholden unto the Force itself.

"If you have been singled out, then bait, you are," the Matriarch glanced to the others.

"We have a place, and we have bait..." Her eyes took in Lagertha. "Do we have the skill?" Another glance N'Tael. "The power?" Then Ben. "The will?" Her eyes cut back to Jin, but everyone was able to answer, and contribute.

N’Tael sat bolt upright in bed, eyes blazing a purple light, the tiger stripes on his hide also blazing, for a moment, ”Tear...no...Darkn…” he began before his snout clomped shut, eyes widening as he realized he’d spoken that aloud.

His head turned, seeking out Ben, then the Matriarch, trying, imploring them to think of another way without saying words. He couldn’t say more without revealing how or why he knew what of they spoke.

The brightness of his eyes and stripes dimmed as he sat back, the residual pain in his chest making him wince. ”We may, overall, be young and not asss powerful as we must be but I know we will coordinate and remove thisss threat.” he stated more calmly and quietly.

Lagertha nodded silently then realized that they could not see her as she was still leaning on the wall "Yes, next time we will work together and end the threat." then added "One way or another..."

Sek'nos narrowed his eyes slightly at N'Tael, but Ben pushed on. "It sounds like a good idea. If Jin is the target, then some of us need to head to the rift and see if we can get our head around it... and some of us need to stay with Jin and keep him secure."

He wasn't taking charge, he was just acknowledging what the Matriarch was suggesting. He was a little rueful; to think, the Protectors were being led by a Sith. Strange times. As if divining his thoughts, she spoke up. "I intend to stay in the Clock-Temple, as you ruffians destroyed my homestead. I would speak to this young lady with no name you allude to, as well. She sounds very curious."

Her eyes glanced to them, to see how they would proceed. Ben started. "Well I need to go to the rift, I guess."

N’Tael shifted in the bed one three fingered hand lifting the covers from him, legs turning and paws settling on the floor. As he tested his weight and strength his other hand reached out and pulled his robe to him, wrapping it around and over him. He checked his harness to ensure his Forcesaber was in place, then looked up.

”I can, I will, asssissst. The sssoulsss of my ancccessstorsss warn me of the rift ssso I will begin thisss battle with Jin Long. Perhapssss, in that time, I can learn why it troublesss me ssso.” He said, with barely a wobble in his step.

He moved up alongside the monk, reaching out to clasp him on the shoulder, ”Bessssidesss no one believesss bait that goesss down easssily and with how he and I fought together the firsssst time, we held Caedussss until everyone wasss in possssition. Sssso it would be more believable.”

Lagertha was not sure what to decide. On one hand she needed to gather more information, on the other she wanted to be there when... if an attack comes. She pursed her lips and closed her eyes for a moment "I will go to the rift..." she said after a moment's deliberation. Maybe the straightforward approach of fighting him directly was not the right way, maybe she needed to find another angle.

Besides, someone should keep an eye on Ben…

Sek’nos nodded. “I’ll tag along with you two, then. N’Tael and Jin are enough, and the Clock-Tower is our fortress; our keep. We can defend it better than we can investigate a rift...”

He looked back at the Matriarch and nodded. “If that’s alright, of course.”

She waved him off. “I’ll keep watch of these two, don’t you worry. And the No Name...” with a turn, she went to go. “But I think I’ll lie down now... it is late. We can strike in the morning.”

N’Tael sighed, he was torn but he knew that Jin wouldn’t have a chance on his own, or even with the Matriarch alongside, against Caedus. So he would stick with the monk. He hoped that he’d be there when they closed on the rift as he needed to ensure that Darkness alone didn’t enter it or the future would be in even more trouble.

Nodding, he returned to the bed, pulling up the covers, leaning back in a sitting position, ”Yessss, I do believe ressst will be mossst helpful for usss all.”

His returned the gesture of confidence to N'Tael, before he regarded his fellow Protectors, his gaze finally falling on the Sith Matriarch.

"I am ready." He said with conviction.

"We are ready." He added. "The Force guides us, our enemy cannot elude us for long." The monk declared.

"I also agree that we should work in-tandem. Everything is connected." He spared a glance to Ben.

The Master didn't mention that their challenges would be this intricate, and now he understood why. This too was a test of their personal resolve, their trust in each other, and their faith in the Force.

Lagertha felt a pang of guilt, she was hoping that Sek'Nos would not be coming with them, given how she failed to protect his grandfather. She wondered whether he blamed her for that? She could not bear to face him, he was her first real failure. And that stung, stung a lot.

"So let's get going then." she stated flatly.

TAGS: @Sinrebirth, @greyjedi125, @TheAdmiral

 

IC: Sek'nos Rath
Heading to the Hilltop

Ben led Sek'nos and Lagertha towards the edge of the City and up the hill, keeping his mind focused on the task at hand.

In short order, they were peering across the City, which was lit by light - as they had advanced, and with the short prep beforehand, night had fallen again on Nouane...

The flickering light of flame rose from the Sith quarter, and Sek'nos looked at it unhappily. "This isn't going to do us any good," he muttered.

Glancing down, Ben pursed his lips. "We need to concentrate on this."

Irritation flared within the young man, but there was suddenly an energy above them, and Sek'nos looked up. There was a kind of warping to the night sky, the colour of the starry sky becoming clear and white.

There was a coated figure drifting down.

The coat was white.

The White-Coat drifted down, and landed.

Sek'nos ignited his Forcesaber, and the White-Coat held out a hand.

Silent, expecting.

Ben glanced a Sek'nos, and he looked at Lagertha, yielding to her to speak.

TAG: @TheAdmiral
---
IC: The Matriarch
The Clock-Temple, No Name's room

The woman was unconscious, that much was clear.

The Matriarch tried to rouse her, and settled into placing a hand on her forehead, using the Force to try and read her.

She frowned as she tried to push through the haze, and pick out the memories from her without asking.

It was an invasion, yes, but there was a mystery which involved a Dark Lord of the Sith, and the flow of the Force itself.

The balance, she thought, especially.

No Name...

A blade of red...

A blade before that of purple...

A split...

Rage, and love.

The Matriarch shuddered.

Someone had forcibly removed those inclinations from a person, so as to purify the original host.

She frowned, as she recognised what she sensed.

Where?

TAG: @no-one, mention for @QueenSabe7
---
The Clock-Tower itself, Twilight

The Matriarch had insisted she be left alone while she consulted with the mystery woman.

They were evenly split between the rift and the Clock-Tower, prepared and anticipated.

As much as they did whatever they would to centre themselves, to meditate to heal, and so on, the night was coming and someone would need to take the first watch.

But there was something... more afoot.

The two, Jin and N'Tael, they would feel a weaving forming between them now they were alone. The others, they had masked the connection by their natural existence, obscuring a latent connection that was different to the others.

A resonance of sorts, running from his point forward beyond them.

With the Force in flux, they came to realise that they would know each other in the future.

One of burning... one of grey...

It didn't make an amount of sense, but they would each feel it.

TAG: @greyjedi125, @darthbernael

TAG: @Corellian_Outrider

 

IC: Ben Solo
Hilltop

The wrinkle was just that; a wrinkle.

The Force was complex here, and Ben was concerned he'd damaged it as he fell from Exegol, but clearly he had slipped through an existing crack.

For Lagertha and Sek'nos, their lightsabers would resonate with them - and from the void would emerge four pods - small, starfighter-sized dipyramids. Miniature versions of the great Mortis monolith of the future; Tho Yor's.

Their Holocrons activated.

It was the Master of Masters.

"Looks like you found the Ark! Congrats!"

He clapped in his way.

"This is the last lesson, so you might want to listen up, my Protector friends. Not all of you will have made it here, sadly, but it is what it is. The Holocron of Prophecy, well, that's where it is. That one copy I left laying around for my chosen successor to pick up. I'm sure you know who you are, anyway.."

The Master shrugged.

"So, anyway. There are five pods here, to be used to escape this world when the Darkness makes his move. The Balance needs to be kept, and if we're lucky, well, you'll manage to catch it it here!"

He sounded excited.

"That's the plan, you see. To make a good ole fashioned trap, and make sure that no big-bad flow-walking Sith Lords can head back to the real Nouane and interfere with my Grand Design," he lowered his voice into a dark tone. "Because as soon as all five - yes, I said five Tho Yor's starfighters are taken, then you'll all be whisked off into the nice and safe future. They're very useful for putting things where they are supposed to be - it's their mechanism."

He held his hands out broadly.

"Planting new and powerful Lights in the future. That way, when the Dark Man comes, we can finally defeat him."

He threaded his fingers.

"How's that sound?"

Sek'nos looked at Lagertha, surprised - and ready to state the obvious.

TAG: @TheAdmiral

TAG: @Corellian_Outrider, @greyjedi125, @darthbernael (please refer to PMs)