Duel Amidst the Turmoil

[Cerys Dyn]

| Coruscant
| Lower Level Slums
| During the Coruscant Attack

”Do not judge the New Jedi Order too harshly, Cerys,” said Ev’Lana. Her peaceful intonations were at all times a salve to the younger woman’s spirit, but in this horrid place it seemed the only tether to the light.

“I am sorry, Master,” Cerys said with a bow, “it’s just…”

A few more people pushed past her in a hurray to get on the transport they were watching over. It was the fourth such transport they had ushered into a safe port and then seen exit the slums. It was a long rise to the surface, and each time she and her master had stood atop the hulking frieghters and warded off errant blaster fire with their lightsabers. It was a slow and arduous task, and by no means making a dent in rescuing the nearly forgotten underworld citizens.

”…there are so few Jedi down here…”

”The fighting will not come here, only wayward destruction…unless the Sith are victorious, then these will be stuck. We must do what we can…”

“…yes, Master.”

Cerys eyes fell on the family that had just entered into the transport. They struggled to find place for their belongings. They have too much. “Only what you can carry in one bag each…please…”

They wouldn’t have enough room. They hadn’t had enough room in the last load. They probably didn’t even make it out of the atmosphere. We are wasting our time.

“But…”

A loud crackle and thud pushed the bulkhead of the ship sharply into Cerys’ shoulder. She flew backward down the boarding ramp. Master Ev’Lana, who had been alert enough to sense the errant turbolaser blast and moved away from the ship, put her hand out to pick up her apprentice. “Mind on the hear and now…young one.“

”Yes, Master…sorry, Master,” she said as she grasped the Togrutan woman’s hand and pulled herself up.

They looked over the damage quickly. The captain of the ship was yelling at them that they had to leave now. Ev’lana nodded in acceptance of his hurried request. The vessel’s repulsers fired up, even as the people were still picking each other up and tending to the minor wounds and falls. Cerys jumped up on top of the ship. One of its engines was sparking, smoke billowing forth from its tail section. She winced. If it need help standing out as a target, it certainly had it.

The ship began to ascend through the maze of buildings, pipes, rail-free walkways and towards the surface and a hopeful escape from the beseiged world.

Xeykard

 

[Xeykard]

Cerys Dyn ​

The Jedi began their ascent; Xeykard meanwhile, descended. Upon the ship he fell, landing heavy upon the hull across from the Jedi. His saber came alight, the long blade of the lightclub shimmering menacingly in the shadows of the underworld.

This was a difficult time -- a poor one, to be on Coruscant, for Sith of his ilk. Or perhaps the best time, taking advantage of the chaos to scoop up what he needed. What he needed was aboard. The Saaraishash were planted deep. Here, his prize, walking into his hands, only for some Jedi to walk in as well.

"Whelp. Stop the ship or everyone dies." He traced the tip of his saber against the hull, red sparks flying in its wake.

 

[Cerys Dyn]

The Sith’s presence was felt by Cerys moments before his impact on the shuttle. The vessel shudder with his impact, and Cerys’ eyes flared with surprise.

”Calm yourself, Cerys.”

The young apprentices eyes narrowed with her focus returning. She stood to the left of her master, awaiting for the elder Jedi to take the lead.

”You are not welcome here, Sith,” Ev’lana said, as her blue blade sprung into existence, “take yourself and your threats far from here…there is no need for further bloodshed.” The elder Jedi pointed her saber directly at the Sith as she spoke.

“Just like Taris, master?” Asked Cerys, trying to read her master’s intent.

”Just like Taris.”

Xeykard

 

[Xeykard]

Cerys Dyn
​

His saber rose to an ox guard, dark eyes glinting in the scattered lights of Coruscant. His gaze flicked between the two Jedi, before settling on the Togrutan. Never had he felt himself on truly even footing with a Jedi Master. Each had their tricks, but even then, their strength never failed. But with the Dark Lord's blessings they met as equals.

He advanced quickly, guard flashing into a downward stroke. The parry was imperfect, jarring heavily against the master's hands, but the following strike found no purchase as she pulled away, flawless footwork delivering her from two further attacks. She countered, only for Xeykard to beat it aside, but once more she withdrew, inches out of reach.

"No further bloodshed," he snarled, returning to his guard, "you keep a child's perspective. Never will Sith and Jedi meet without bloodshed. As it must be. You know it -- you draw your weapon without hesitation when this one arrived."

He advanced again, this time matching his swing with a subtle pull to draw her in, force her to block.

 

[Cerys Dyn]

The apprentice kept her distance, only delving into the battle in moments as her master began to retreat. However, when the Sith clearly tried to unsettled Ev’lana by pulling the Togruta towards himself, Cerys decided to act with more intent. She jump to the right, kicking off the tail fin of the vessel. Her goal being to get as far behind the Sith as possible.

She slid to a stop, the greasy surface around the manifold providing poor footing. Cerys could sense the edge for the ship a quarter inch beyond her backward foot as she crouched in a starting stance for a sprint. It was then that she pushed both hands toward the Sith, and with everything she had grappled the beast through the Force and pulled him towards her.

Now.

Ev’lana was one step ahead of her, as always, and had taken the momentum shift aided my the Sith, and pushed out towards him. With her combined push, and Cerys’ pull, they would hopefully jettison the wretch from the vessel.

All Cerys had to do was time her drop backwards, and manage to hang on to the edge of the ship.

Xeykard

 

[Xeykard]

Cerys Dyn
​

Clever. That the Jedi was able to read his movement so flawlessly and counter near perfectly, utilizing the barest amount of momentum to get herself rolling into a push against him, in a moment he was expending his energy on the offensive and could not fully defend, working in sync with her padawan -- the Togruta shone brightly, a brilliant display. Xeykard was never awed by anything, but today he came close.

He was sent flying, launched out of the way as his blade slashed only empty air. It would have been worse if he had been sent off the engine side. Instead he hurtled off the port side, seemingly ready to fall into nothing -- until he took a step on nothing. Then another, bounding across invisible platforms back to the ship. By no means was he a master of the ability; something he'd stolen from a foolish padawan in an old battle. It strained his discipline, but now he was returned to the ship.

"A valiant attempt." Then he spun, a telekinetic blast of his own aimed at the padawan to launch her off the ship.

 

[Cerys Dyn]

The wind whipped Cerys’ long blonde hair into a flurry of brilliant golden waves. Even as she pulled herself up onto the vessel’s topside hull, she found it hard to see through her mane. When a concussive blast hit her chest, she was knocked senseless, limbs stretched forward as they struggled to keep up with her torso that went back into the windswept nothingness and far above the abyss that was Corustant’s ascent tubes. And then…her body lurched to a stop.

Her vision cleared just in time to see Master Vaas, arms outstretched towards her Padawan, keeping her aloft in the air. The apprentice knew what this meant instantly. She was open to attack.

”Master!”

Her mind reeled, eyes darting too and fro, trying to find something in the vast expanse from which she could push herself off from, even if she had to push through the Force. Nothing seemed close enough. The sound of the wind ceased, and was replaced by the thumping of her heart.

The Sith.

Her hand shot forward, across the open air, and reached out for the person of the Sith. Invisible fingers of the Force wrapped around him, and Cerys began using him as her anchor to pull herself forward, while hopefully pulling him away from Master Vaas.

Xeykard

 

[Xeykard]

Cerys Dyn
​

But she was weak. He was strong.

The padawan's pull caused his first swing to miss the Jedi Master's throat by inches. But he took a second step, and a third. The Togruta seemed to sense something, her gaze split between her padawan and the oncoming Sith. Her energy moved in preparation, but Xeykard moved first, shattering the padawan's grip on him and in a single cruel stroke- "DIE!-" plunging his metal claws through the Togruta's chest.

That moment where he relished the kill was spoiled. Even as he held her still-beating heart in his hand, she looked at him with otherworldly focus, and her hand reached up to his forehead and straight into his mind. Whatever power she used sent him reeling, psychic feedback breaking even his normally impregnable mental barriers.

She dropped, and he stumbled, pain lancing through every part of his nervous system.

 

[Cerys Dyn]

She flailed, swimming through air that provided no movement. It was far too little and far too late. Vaas fell to the the Sith monster. The Barbarian. Her heart cried out in a forbidden anguish, even as her feet found unseen purchase in the air and she ran forward to the vessel.

Her feet made a clunking sound as they hit the hull again. The vessel continued its path upwards into a more congested area of Coruscant traffic. They were nearing the surface, and the ships easier escape.

In a moment that would haunt her and require so much unpacking, Cerys was not given to the light, but instead handed her actions over to rage. The monster was not moving. So she did it for him, grabbing him through the Force and tossing him into the path of a speeder that was descending downwards.

It had begun raining. Nothing torrential. Just enough to hide her tears.

Cerys, keeper of the old oaths, fell to her knees. Her master was dead. And Cerys had failed in her. Failed her in so many ways. The most painful of which was that despite all her instruction in the art of detachment, Cerys had cherished her Master dearly. The pain she felt was the greatest of all betrayals to the fallen Vaas.

Xeykard