Private Dark Echoes

[Kahlil Noble]

Kahlil lead the way back, clearly hurrying in his step. The news of a second Jedi mixed with the off feeling he felt from Valery was enough to have him slightly worried. Enough that when they did finally reach her he was quick to step by her side and look her over.

"What did you see?"

That was the obvious case. Psychometry. And clearly it was something that wasn't easy to experience.

Shan Pavond | Valery Noble

 

[Shan Pavond]

Location: Aruza
Objective: Find out more about Nyaeli and her history
Equipment: Lightsaber - Blaster
Tags: Kahlil Noble Valery Noble
​

Shan let Kahlil hurry over towards Valery's side. He didn't want to overcrowd her in case something was majorly wrong. Instead he turned his attention to their surroundings, trying to picture what had happened in his mind. Trying to imagine the death and destruction that happened in the town because of Nyaeli. Because of him, there was a chance that more of this stuff would be able to happen and it would be his fault...All because he wanted to believe in the best of people...No. No. He couldn't let himself think like that. He had to have faith in himself that he'd be able to change things.

He just had to do what came best to him. Helping others. Which is why whilst Kahlil was making sure Valery was okay, Shan was rummaging around in his satchel for some water before stepping over to the pair and holding it out towards Valery. Water always made people feel better right at the end of the day?

 

[Valery Noble]

Aruza

​

Outfit: Epicanthix Outfit | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble Shan Pavond

"I'm okay..." Valery managed while she reached for her husband's hands to pull herself up to her feet. "...I'm okay," she repeated then, after leaning into him for support. She got up to her feet a little too quickly and was seeing stars, but with his help, she at least stayed on her feet for now. Her gaze then shifted between him and Shan, hoping they had gotten some new information from talking to the villagers.

It seemed they were more curious about what she saw for now.

"I saw a green light, bright and warm at first. There were voices of an older man, but a younger boy as well, represented in blue. But... then I heard a scream and that blue light turned gradually red. Another scream followed, and the green color disappeared, leaving just red."

 

[Kahlil Noble]

The blue turned red?

Kahlil frowned deeply, glancing once to Shan before letting out a sigh. He understood what was going on now. And he didn't like what it meant. "That would explain what happened to the second Jedi. I'm starting to get the impression that it wasn't Nyelia who brought death to so many."

Valery Noble | Shan Pavond

 

[Shan Pavond]

Location: Aruza
Objective: Find out more about Nyaeli and her history
Equipment: Lightsaber - Blaster
Tags: Kahlil Noble Valery Noble
​

Shan frowned ever so slightly. He honestly wouldn't have put it past Nyaeli killing dozens of people like she had supposedly, but now there was another Jedi in the mix apparently? That was incredibly interesting to him. It now made a bit more sense on how Nyaeli could have gotten the lightsaber that Shan was carrying around now. If his understanding of what Valery had seen was right, then whoever the person that had been with the other Jedi had killed him...but where were they now? That was the more important question in his mind.

"It makes sense as to how she'd have gotten the lightsaber now...She scavenged it as something to use as a weapon...Though the more I think about it, the more curious I am. If Nyaeli was so capable in the Force, surely her parents would have gotten in contact with the Jedi Order, no? Sure, the people we met seem to distrust the Jedi...but something just feels strange about it."

 

[Valery Noble]

Aruza

​

Outfit: Epicanthix Outfit | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble Shan Pavond

Valery shook her head, "No it was definitely Nyaeli who got all these people killed. But the Jedi who died here later..." she sighed and raised a hand up through her hair. "There was no sign of a fight or anything here. Just a body with a perfect stab wound through his torso. I doubt a barely trained Force User could have done that herself in a fair fight."

Jedi Knights were not exactly pushovers, and she would have likely not owned a lightsaber either. So it wasn't really adding up for any of them.

"I think the question is where this other Jedi went, and who really killed this Jedi Knight, and why."

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"I've no doubt she might've been the weapon used. But I don't feel she was the one wielding it." Blue to red, Shan's point about her parents. It wasn't sitting well with Kahlil at all.

"I've the feeling that Nyelia's parents did reach out, but who they reached out to turned out to be their demise. I've no way of figuring that out for certain though, not if the people don't wish to talk. Or without the missing Jedi."

Shan Pavond | Valery Noble

 

[Shan Pavond]

Location: Aruza
Objective: Find out more about Nyaeli and her history
Equipment: Lightsaber - Blaster
Tags: Kahlil Noble Valery Noble
​

"Could the people be afraid of us...not necessarily just because of what Nyaeli has done, but because of this other Jedi? He could still be on the planet. If they're wanting to give into the dark side...Well, there's a lot of trauma and anger on this planet. Perhaps more than is normal. Maybe they're making the town's hatred worse? Is that possible?"

Shan frowned, rubbing his chin at that thought. Keeping an eye out around them to make sure that there wasn't anyone who had actually followed them back here, or anyone that was watching them. He had plenty of theories right now.

"It's possible they were a padawan. It would explain how they were able to get such a perfect stab wound. Since they wouldn't be expecting it."

 

[Valery Noble]

Aruza

​

Outfit: Epicanthix Outfit | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble Shan Pavond

There were a lot of possibilities and different theories but it wasn't easy to figure out what really happened. There were barely any witnesses and the people in town seemed uneasy about being approached by a group of Jedi.

Valery already had to stay behind once, and she was trying to find information that ultimately benefited the people here. Surely, they would want answers about how something so terrible happened to one of their own, right?

Then Shan spoke up and Valery frowned, "You suggest a Padawan stabbed their Master?" She looked at the ground in the street, where not long ago the body of the Jedi Knight had been.

"It could explain the awfully clean death, but why? Why would they turn on their own Master? And if they did, where are they now?"

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"There are no answers for these questions without actively finding the people who were involved to ask. Nyelia, this missing Jedi. Speculation won't do us any good at this point."

Valery Noble | Shan Pavond

 

[Shan Pavond]

Location: Aruza
Objective: Find out more about Nyaeli and her history
Equipment: Lightsaber - Blaster
Tags: Kahlil Noble Valery Noble ​

Shan frowned as he tried to think of what the answers to Valery's questions could be. It was true that speculations wouldn't do them any good, but at the same time they'd be wandering through the dark without giving any suggestions as he looked around the town once again, rubbing his chin in thought at the same time.

"It's possible the trauma of the town caused them to snap. Or perhaps Nyaeli managed to infiltrate their mind. She's quite...strong in her manipulations if I'm being truthful. But like Master Kahlil said, there's no point speculating. We'd need to ask directly from the source, but considering we don't know where the missing Jedi is, and I haven't seen Nyaeli since Elom..."

The Padawan sighed to himself at that. There was so many answers that they could get if they could just ask Nyaeli. But he had no clue where she was...Shan tried to focus on reaching out through the Force. It probably wouldn't work but Shan was going to do anything available to him as he focused on sending the Force out from him. He needed an answer to what had happened, and they weren't going to find it if he didn't try.

 

[Valery Noble]

Aruza

​

Outfit: Epicanthix Outfit | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble Shan Pavond

"Agreed," Valery said with a slight dip of her head in Kahlil's direction before turning to Shan. His theories were pretty sound, but the only way to know for sure was to either find this missing Jedi or track down Nyaeli. Both were not easy tasks, but as Shan began to reach out through the Force, he would start to feel something out there. Nyaeli wasn't on Aruza, far from it, but her presence lingered everywhere around the town.

It acted like a beacon and he was tapping into it.

Then it hit him at once — an image of the Aruzan was forced into his mind, but another appeared. A young Twi'lek boy with a Padawan braid who felt angry at first, but mostly scared right after. He was hurt. His presence lingered in the Force, and unlike the Aruzan he was calling out to, this presence was closer.

It came from the village they had just returned from. From the very house with the two Aruzans sitting on their porch.

 

[Shan Pavond]

Location: Aruza
Objective: Find out more about Nyaeli and her history
Equipment: Lightsaber - Blaster
Tags: Kahlil Noble Valery Noble ​

It was strange, feeling Nyaeli's presence around him. It wasn't...comforting but it was at least a reassuring presence strangely enough. Though that was something he could try to wrap his head around later. For now, he just had to keep his focus on what was going on, as he tried to tap into the presence, before it felt like he was hit by a star destroyer in his mind, snapping him out of the moment and instead focusing on the Force.

A Twi'lek...He was right about the Padawan concept. They were angry. That also went with his theory...but they were scared now? It would make sense. If they just killed their master...They'd probably feel like they had nowhere to return to. As soon as the Mirialan's focus went toward the village, Shan snapped out of the daze he was in. A few beads of stressed sweat fell as he looked back between Valery and Kahlil.

"He's in the village. He's in the couple's house."

He said rather bluntly. Shan was getting ready to run off, but he knew Kahlil and Valery would know the best thing to do. Shan rushing off head first could get himself hurt, or even the Padawan who was being kept by the Aruzans. He wasn't sure if it was out of the kindness of their own heart...but considering what happened when they helped Valery, Shan sincerely doubted that they'd be helping the Twi'lek.

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"What?"

Kahlil blinked slowly, glancing to Shan, then back towards where the couple had been. And gritted his teeth. There were two options; the Twi'lek was in hiding and they didn't trust anyone to help them, or they had him in captivity. He clenched a fist. Neither were good. Both meant mistrust for the Jedi. He turned, already walking back to the house in question.

"Then there's a lot more for them to answer."

Valery Noble | Shan Pavond

 

[Valery Noble]

Aruza

​

Outfit: Epicanthix Outfit | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble Shan Pavond

"What?"

"What?"

Valery blinked when she echoed Kahlil's question at the same time, briefly looked at him, then turned back to Shan with quite a frown on her face. If the Jedi was in there... well, she shared Kahlil's concerns. "I thought the Aruzans were peaceful. Why would they do something like this?" She shook her head in disbelief and quickly moved after the others. This time, she wasn't going to hide away because it might make them uncomfortable.

They lost that privilege when they decided to lie to Kahlil and Shan.

"Back already?" the woman on the porch asked with a smile that suddenly felt a lot faker than before. She looked at Kahlil and Shan at first then, before turning her gaze to Valery.

"I see you brought her with you this time. Why?"

 

[Shan Pavond]

Location: Aruza
Objective: Find out more about Nyaeli and her history
Equipment: Lightsaber - Blaster
Tags: Kahlil Noble Valery Noble ​

Shan had a feeling he knew why the Aruzans weren't peaceful. Nyaeli had done a lot more than just kill her town. She had potentially changed how her people saw Jedi and now there was a Padawan in danger. Though that technically wasn't Shan's fault. Even if he hadn't spared Nyaeli, this would still be happening. But he couldn't focus on that, instead he headed with Valery and Kahlil to get towards the Aruzan house, a small frown on his face as they arrived. He ignored the wife's question for now, trying to keep an eye out for anything that seemed suspicious from the outside. He might have been gullible but now that they've been caught out in a lie? Shan wasn't as trusting.

"Where is the Twi'lek? We know he's in the house." He said rather simply. He didn't want to yell at them. Yelling would mean his anger was taking control and he refused to let his anger be what took control. Just breathe. Focus. Focus on getting answers instead of trying to get revenge. He just folded his arms along his front, staring the Aruzan woman down. There was a chance that the Aruzans had something prepared for this and he didn't want to let his guard down. It now made a bit more sense when the husband had tried to go after Shan now.

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Kahlil glanced to the woman, then towards the home she stood in front of. Frowned, deeply.

"Where is your husband."

No sooner had he asked it though that he decided to move forward. Walked, calmly, but he wasn't going to stop. The idea that there was indeed a Padawan locked away here was enough justification for him not to stop. And if the husband was going to try and harm them, well, Kahlil wasn't going to stand idly by.

"I suggest you answer both questions, ma'am." He loomed beside her, not even turning to face her as he stepped right on by to head for the door.

Valery Noble | Shan Pavond

 

[Valery Noble]

Aruza

​

Outfit: Epicanthix Outfit | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsaber
Tag: Kahlil Noble Shan Pavond

Shan's confrontational question was clearly unexpected. The woman's eyes widened and she nervously shifted in her chair. A complete shift in demeanor that even a Jedi youngling could feel in the Force. She had been caught, and now felt pressure to quickly come up with an answer or solution.

Especially as Kahlil walked over and headed right for the door, even before she had been given time to answer Shan.

"He's..."

"Right here," the husband said as he appeared in the doorway to physically block Kahlil from getting into his home. "You have no right to enter this home, Master Jedi. I urge you to leave before there is trouble." His voice sounded threatening and his eyes narrowed at Kahlil.

Meanwhile, within the basement of their home, a presence in the Force surged. It was weak, faint, and would have been hard to pick up on before. But now that they knew there was someone held there, there was no mistaking who they sensed.

"It is for the best this way. He is a murderer, just like our Nyaeli. Just like all Force Users," the woman then suddenly said, her eyes filled with pain but a deep hatred as well. A stark contrast to how she had appeared earlier.

 

[Kahlil Noble]

The Force swelled around Kahlil as he didn't stop as the husband blocked him. Rather, he lifted a hand to lift the man from the ground and send him further into his dwelling. Nothing to hurt him, but he wouldn't be able to move in the grip Kahlil formed around him. His gaze was cold, staring at the man only for a brief moment before he turned his gaze towards where the presence was.

"You've kidnapped a Padawan of our Order. We know he's here. Keep your filthy mouths shut, and you'd best pray you didn't harm him."

He left the man there, floating helplessly, as he made his way into the basement.

"Less I return what you've given."

Valery Noble | Shan Pavond

 

[Shan Pavond]

Location: Aruza
Objective: Find out more about Nyaeli and her history
Equipment: Lightsaber - Blaster
Tags: Kahlil Noble Valery Noble ​

"I mean...Last time I checked, I haven't killed anyone. I mean, I even refused to kill Nyaeli so..." Shan couldn't help himself from being a little bit snarky to the Aruzan woman. To assume all Force Users were murderers, it was a bit ironic to him as he glanced over towards the woman again. "If I based you all off Nyaeli, then I think you're all psycho murderers who don't care about innocents. But I'm sure you're not like that. Are you?" He raised an eyebrow, keeping a rather sickly sweet and fake smile on his face.

"You'd be smart to let Master Kahlil forward. You won't like him when he's mad." If Shan was being honest, he had never seen Kahlil this mad. But he wasn't going to let that be known. It would just make this harder. Shan just turned his attention to their surroundings. This wasn't going to go well for them, at least he didn't think so. They clearly had a dislike towards Force Users...which might explain what happened towards Nyaeli. If they didn't like her being a Force User...