IT'S ALWAYS DARKEST BEFORE THE DAWN...
Location: Salyrini Obj 1
Equipment: Conservator and Vanguard 2.0 (Lightsabers)
Comm-link, Rebreather, Custom Robes
Starship: Starlight Sentinel, (Dilorian in cargo bay)
Companion: Astromech R01R - "Roller", Pilot droid Mu51c - "Music"
Tag:
Allyson Locke
Caedyn Arenais
Laertia Io
Sethrak
Tathra Khaeus
Seer Kalanthir
Keldothera
Some reading my telling of this story, yes, I tell his story, I don’t write it, he does, anyway, some reading this may believe that this was par for the course. The fact that the Titan caught the big guy’s fist in his hand. Some reading this may think nothing of it, after all, “there will always be someone better” or more appropriately “all good things must come to an end”, and that we may be seeing the “heroic” end of the massive Jedi Master. However, if you know his history, especially when it comes to throwing hands, Caltin is a firm believer in one thing…
“... sometimes to throw a punch, you have to eat one…”
So some seeing this may be angry that the Draelvasier managed to block his punch, he wasn’t. Some may be angry that the Bryn’adul are doing what they do, he wasn’t. In fact, as his hand was clenched by the Titan, the big guy had a huge smile on his face. Wait.
What? What are you doing?
Just tell my story…
_________________________
In a flash, the landscape changed…
There was not a warzone. There was no death or destruction. He was standing there in the ether with his parents Joren and Eldra, his sister Tyria, his brother n law Arestul, Arestul’s father Kam, and the kids, Alyscia, Kameron, and Kayla. Talk about a “Deathly Hallows” moment.
… what?
Nevermind. Anyway, they all surrounded him.
Hi everyone.
When are you going to end this game, son?
Dear?
Kameron spoke up.
No, he’s right. You shouldn’t be here.
Then what is all this?
Caltin Anselmo Vanagor… stop trying to be what you believe everyone else thinks you need to be. You did that enough when you were trying to make up for the lost time between us.
That wasn’t my fault. I just wanted you to see that...
I know it wasn’t. You’re my brother. I love you.
We all do, Daddy. We miss you.
Maybe now it is time that you finally join us.
Join you?!
You’re living on borrowed time, dear. You shouldn’t be doing this. It’s time to reunite with your family.
Come on little brother. These people aren’t your family.
“Oh, that’s enough!” Kam Angellus, Liram’s great X9 grandfather, Arestul’s father, Tyria’s father n law. He was never one to mind words.
“Does the man look like he is ready to hang up the lightsaber? Look at him!”
With all due respect pop-pop, you never met him.
Now it was Arestul’s turn.
Yes, Kayla. You're right, but I did, but we all did. YOU KNOW HIM! ALL OF YOU! Do you want to pretend to be caring about him when you don’t even THINK about him? What about what HE wants? HUH? Did any of you think about that?
Uncle Arestul… he’s family…
... AND HE STILL WILL BE.
Turning to Caltin, he put hands on shoulders…
You do what YOU need to. We’re here regardless.
Backing away, Arestul put an arm around his wife, as slowly Alyscia, Kameron and Kayla grew to adulthood.
... and we’ll be here when you get back. Tell my grandkid I said "hi".
Then Alyscia surprised him, and apparently everyone.
Kick his ass, dad.
Then as everything began to shift again, @Ala’s image appeared in the Ether and just winked.
________________________
No, this was not some “inspirational moment” meant to bring a tear to the eye and temperature to the heart and a case of diabetes. No, this was a reminder of just who he was, a reminder for who? Him. Now back to that smile on his face. It was not one out of happiness, or anything close to joy, well it
might be, but that is a secret that Caltin will take to his grave. The Ether visage of his mother was right about one thing, he was living on borrowed time. So maybe that meant that he had nothing to lose.
They may very well lose Salyrini, Sarka… the Bryn’adul may very well sweep across the galaxy… this sort of thing has happened before. They may be driven back today, this may be the spark to show the galaxy that they can be beaten, it has happened before. One way or another, this Titan would be falling today, if it was at Laertia’s hands, if it was at
his hands, even if the Draelvasier would survive but had to be helped away, he was going down.
This was who they were, they were fighters, warriors, whatever, it was their way, but you know what? This was the way of the Jedi too. To stand against the unbeatable foe, to face the impossible odds, and remain immovable. Call him what you like, but that is what he embodied and if it ended today, then it ended today, but it was on
his terms and not someone else’s.
Once Tathra stopped pushing back, Caltin’s smile only got bigger. This Bryn made a huge mistake in not throwing him, or pushing hard enough to get some distance. That allowed Caltin to take the moment and leap overhead onto Tathra’s back, just long enough to clap the Titan’s temples…
… now here’s where the smile comes into play…
Say “G’bye” nerf herder.
The Force is finite, one’s connection to it is finite. No matter how versed you are in conserving, no matter how educated you are in making it last, sometimes your “tank” just his “E.” That is not to say you pass on and become one with the Force, it could, but that is not a definitive occurrence. You have to know what you are capable of, and what could happen when you commit to certain actions. Caltin had quite a bit left, but he had to make sure that everyone would know, would see what was about to happen.
Reaching out through the Force, Caltin committed to two things concurrently. First, he pulled as much of the electrical energy from the storm down onto his position in the form of one of the biggest, most powerful bolts of lightning anyone might have ever seen. Or they might have, it doesn’t matter at this point. At the same time, Caltin centered the rest of his “reserves” in his hands(still on, or around Tathra’s temples) and focused a severe “Electric Judgment” into the Titan’s head. Everything he had, everything he was went into it. The Jedi of today would be fine if he didn’t make it, if he
did he would find his place later. What mattered right now was the incredible surge going through him being redirected into the DraelVasier in front of him.
The combined Electrical blast to the head could simply dissipate. Caltin had learned this in his short time engaging these monsters. Their armor, their training, they are able to basically brush everything off as if nothing had happened. However, hands-on the head directed the enormous electrical current into the biggest receptors nearby…
… the brain…
The theory is that overloading the receptors so much that they cannot handle or dissipate the incoming energy in time, will result in their shut down, just like an EMP. No, Caltin would not walk away unscathed, just how much he would survive would depend on the gods above.
... YET THE DAWN ALWAYS COMES.