Private Into the Past

[Valery Noble]

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Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit | Wedding Ring

Valery's body remained tense under Kahlil's reassuring hand, her muscles coiled with the frustration she couldn't quite shake. She held her breath, her jaw clenched, before letting out a reluctant, "Fine." She glanced at him, still visibly grumpy, though she knew he was right. This place deserved more than destruction; it deserved restoration.

Her gaze hardened as she looked around. "But things like this… they get to me," she admitted, a trace of that frustration still evident. "Seeing the memory of Jedi twisted for something so… vile."

She sighed, "I saw people die in this place, you know? Knights, but also Padawans."

She straightened and took a steadying breath, forcing her focus onto the task at hand. "Alright. If we're going to rebuild, then we need to dismantle their creations without causing more damage." She glanced around, scanning the temple ruins for anything that might reveal the source of the golems' power or the tools used in their creation. "There has to be something here we can use to find out more about the maker, right?"

Valery looked back at Kahlil, a spark of determination reigniting in her eyes. But also hope that he'd have the answers that she didn't have. That he could help her find whoever caused this.

"Let's find it and stop this at its root. Then perhaps we can restore this Temple."

Kahlil Noble
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[Kahlil Noble]

Seeing the death of the young certainly would shape anything here. Kahlil again patted her shoulder, then looked ahead. He moved to the parts, the tools. The rituals. It was certainly a Sith behind all this, by the runes and ancient scripts. He went full research mode, looking and studying everything he could to piece it all together. "There's not a whole lot of information here on the maker, just how these things were made. The soul trapping, how to make a gem to fuel the golems. It's- .. As I suspected. Taking souls from one thing, putting them into the bodies of these golems. Making the carapace match what they were keeps them from fragmenting. .. I don't like what this means."

What they found weren't the proper golems. Tests. It was a dumping ground.

"We'll go down. Be ready for a fight."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

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Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit | Wedding Ring

Valery listened intently to Kahlil's explanation, her gaze hard and unwavering as he detailed the horrors of soul-trapping and golem creation. There was no light-hearted banter, no playful quip to balance the darkness. Just silence and the steady weight of what they had discovered.

"Alright," she said quietly, her voice carrying a note of steel. "Let's go down and put an end to this."

With a nod, she took the lead, guiding him toward a spiraling stone staircase carved into the rock. The descent was long and winding, and the chill of age seemed to seep from the walls, which were worn and cracked in places, each step a reminder of just how ancient this place was. Faint tendrils of moss and ivy clung to the stone in defiance of time and darkness, twisting their way down along the walls, their soft green tendrils in stark contrast to the otherwise lifeless descent.

And then, faintly illuminated by the dim glow of ancient runes carved along the staircase walls, she caught a glimpse of movement.

At the edge of her vision, a small, hunched figure lumbered from the shadows, its body composed of dark, uneven stones bound together by glistening, threadlike veins of crimson energy. Its arms were jagged, ending in clawed hands, and its head was a featureless, smooth stone, save for a single, faintly glowing rune in the center. The golem's movements were erratic, as if the dark magic within struggled to hold its parts together.

This was no towering monstrosity, but rather an early, imperfect creation — a prototype, barely functional but somehow… alive. It let out a hollow, unnatural growl as it sensed their presence, the rune on its face flaring like a single, burning eye.

Kahlil Noble
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[Kahlil Noble]

They really changed this whole place into a ritualistic site, didn't they? His gaze traveled over the runes as they made their way down. Channeling the darker memories, the echoes of pain. It was clever, and the further down they'd go the stronger the coalesced power would be. To make these sorts of creations, they'd need that level of power. Which honestly made him start to doubt if it was even good for him to.

This wasn't something that would be easy to replicate in the light.

Once they were down far enough and the Prototype came into view, his expression tightened. Humanoid. It wasn't a hard guess what soul was used for it. Rather than say anything though Kahlil's saber flared to life. Silent, but golden and bright. Not the lightsaber, but a blade of pure Light. He didn't hesitate. Kahlil was upon it in an instant, cleaving through it in a quick strike.

The body fell apart, the dark red that bound it faded away like ash under the Light. Kahlil let out a sigh, the blade dissipating, rather than retreating as a saber should.

".. This is a bad sign on what we'll find below."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

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Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit | Wedding Ring

Valery stood back as Kahlil moved in to dispatch the first golem, watching his blade of Light cleave through the twisted creation with effortless precision. Relief washed over her, reminding her of the quiet confidence she'd felt when he had been by her side at New Cov, unearthing the ruined Enclave and finding strength in each other to face its secrets. This time, too, she knew she wasn't facing the darkness alone.

But as the golem disintegrated, leaving only a few stray embers of its sinister energy behind, she nodded, a hint of unease darkening her expression. "I agree. The more we find of these… creations, the worse this feels. There must have been dozens — maybe more — trapped here." Her voice lowered, thick with the sorrow of so many lost souls.

The two continued down the staircase, the temperature dropping further, as if the shadows themselves grew colder the deeper they descended. Finally, they reached a small, dimly lit chamber. The stone walls closed in around them, and a flickering, sickly green light pulsed from the far end, casting eerie shadows that danced with each step they took.

In the middle of the room, another golem hunched low, its structure similar but noticeably darker and more menacing than the one before. It exuded a palpable aura of pain and fear, the essence of something trapped within struggling to escape. Then, like a whisper caught on the breeze, a voice echoed softly through the chamber.

"I'm… trapped. Please… help me." The words were shaky, like the fractured remnants of someone barely holding on.

Valery's breath caught as the familiar energy of a Jedi's spirit brushed against her senses, weak but unmistakable. Her heart clenched, her mind racing as she felt the faint warmth of the Force still flickering within the creature. She took a step forward, her hand lowering her lightsaber as she focused on the feeling of the soul trapped within.

"Kahlil… I can feel them." Her voice trembled with raw emotion, her gaze locked on the golem as though it were a person she could still save. "They're alive, in some way — a Jedi's soul is still inside. Maybe, if I can reach them, I can—"

But as she took another step forward, Kahlil's instincts screamed at him. A swell of darkness surged from the golem, its energy twisting with malicious intent. Just as Valery extended her hand, the golem's hidden arm began to morph, reshaping into a long, jagged blade that it intended to drive directly into her gut.

Kahlil Noble
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[Kahlil Noble]

Trapped, but broken.

Kahlil brought a hand up, pulling Valery back to his side in an instant. There was no chance he wasn't going to keep her safe from being stabbed again. He wasn't there on time before. He was this time around, and he was absolutely going to act. The Force tensed around him before it brought the golem to it's knees, weight increased drastically as ever.

"We can help them return to the Force. They're already dead, Val."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

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Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit | Wedding Ring

Valery let out a sharp, panicked "No!" as Kahlil's hand gripped her arm and pulled her back. The abrupt force sent her stumbling, and her eyes widened as the golem's jagged blade-arm slashed through the air where she had just been standing. She could feel the cold of the weapon's darkness brush past her, a reminder of just how close she had been to a fatal strike.

Still she really felt something inside of it. Someone.

"Kahlil, please," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "I felt them. It wasn't just… an echo or a memory. I know I did. I think… I think it was someone I once knew." Her voice cracked slightly, her heart clinging to the fragile hope that a piece of her friend, or someone like him, was still there, trapped but alive.

The golem shifted, its stance lowering as it was forced down by gravity and played into her vulnerability. Its twisted, empty eyesockets gleamed with a faint light as it spoke again, the voice weak and broken, laced with a desperation that mirrored her own.

"Please… help me…don't let him kill me." The words came out in pained gasps, trembling with fear and agony.

Kahlil Noble
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[Kahlil Noble]

"Valery."

Kahlil spoke calm, but there was a firmness to his tone that didn't leave a place for argument. He knew what had happened. He knew what these were. They weren't alive, not any more. This ritual, these golems, they'd had souls locked to them. The rune at the base of his spine flared as a grim calm took over the Jedi Master. These souls had bee denied their rightful ends, their chance to return to the flow of the Force as all living things should.

He raised a hand, and with it he brushed through the air.

"Please… help me…don't let him kill m-"

The light of the golem's eyes was gone. The soul within, trapped for so long, gone. It fell unto itself in a heap, it's power source, it's essence, gone. The rune faded as Kahlil exhaled, then took another step.

"Don't make them suffer this torture. They're dead, Valery. Help be bring them rest."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

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Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit | Wedding Ring

Valery's breath hitched, her eyes fixed on the lifeless heap that had once been the golem. The light in its eyes—the faint, fragile glimmer of a soul—extinguished with a finality that hit her like a physical blow. She staggered slightly, her heart pounding as she tried to process what had just happened. Kahlil's calm, resolute presence only deepened the ache in her chest.

Her voice trembled as she spoke, barely above a whisper. "How can you be so sure?" she asked, her gaze searching his face, desperate for answers. "You can heal Sithspawn, give them a second chance. Why… why not them?"

It wasn’t logic she sought, but solace—a way to reconcile the pain of knowing that those trapped souls, perhaps once Jedi, could never be saved. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides as she struggled to suppress the overwhelming tide of grief and helplessness.

"I felt them, Kahlil," she continued, her voice breaking. "It wasn’t just darkness. There was pain, yes, but also… hope." Her amber eyes glistened with unshed tears as she finally looked back at the crumbled remains. "I just—" She stopped herself, unable to finish the thought, the weight of the situation crushing her.

"I felt an old friend."

Kahlil Noble
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[Kahlil Noble]

"Sithspawn still have their bodies. Their souls were stolen when they were killed, Valery. I could keep them here, I could give them the ability to survive in these golems as themselves. But that's not healing them, that's further twisting what had been done to them. Using necromancy to combat necromancy, it isn't good, Valery." They'd still be of the Dark, their souls twisted.

He let out a sigh as he reached up to pat the top of her head, giving his calm smile. Warmth, despite everything.

"Go back to the ship, Val. These are your friends that you lost, but we can't keep them here. It's only pain and suffering. I'll take care of them. You don't have to."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

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Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit | Wedding Ring

Valery stood in silence as Kahlil's words washed over her, each one sinking in deeply. She knew he was right — as much as it pained her, these souls couldn't truly be saved. They were trapped in a darkness beyond her reach, and trying to force their existence into these twisted forms would only prolong their suffering. She inhaled shakily, her voice soft but steady as she finally spoke.

"I know," she said, her amber eyes lowering briefly to the shattered remains of the golem. The faintest of smiles tugged at her lips as Kahlil's hand patted the top of her head, a familiar gesture that carried with it a warmth she craved now more than ever. But it wouldn't be enough, not tonight. Later, when this was over, she'd seek more of his comfort. For now, there was still work to do.

When he urged her to return to the ship, she shook her head gently, her resolve clear. "I need to stay," she said, her voice quiet but firm. "Let me help you. I need to see this through, for them... and for me." She met his gaze, her eyes filled with both grief and determination. It wasn't about refusing to let go — it was about ensuring that those who once stood alongside her found peace at last.

Kahlil Noble
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[Kahlil Noble]

"I know."

There was no doubt in his mind this was something Valery needed to do herself. Faced with the option, he knew she'd deny leaving. He smiled briefly, giving her one last pat before letting his hand fall to the side and his gaze turned to the door further down. There were more, he could feel them already. The central lab was guarded, and now that he knew what he was looking for he could feel them.

Six, moving. One, dormant.

"Let's not keep them waiting any longer."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

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Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit | Wedding Ring

Valery's lips pursed into a playful pout as Kahlil gave her one last pat on the head. "You know, you're going to ruin my hair," she muttered with a faux huff, raising a hand to brush her fingers through her dark locks, fixing the strands that had been tousled. But her amber eyes betrayed her amusement, a flicker of warmth that softened the heavy atmosphere.

Together, they pushed on.

The medbay loomed ahead, its doors groaning as they entered. The weight of the room hit Valery immediately, an oppressive wave of anguish and suffering saturating the Force. The remnants of pain and despair clung to the air like a toxic fog, each step sinking them deeper into the tragedy that had unfolded here. The stark white walls were stained with the shadows of what once was — a place meant for healing, now corrupted beyond recognition.

Valery tightened her grip on her lightsaber, the hilt a familiar anchor against the tide of emotions clawing at her mind.

Then they appeared.

Six golems emerged from the shadows, their forms twisted and erratic. Each was a grotesque reflection of the Jedi whose souls had been forced into them. Their movements were jagged, unpredictable — the embodiment of brokenness and torment. One stumbled forward, its fragmented voice a haunting echo of the agony it carried.

Valery ignited her saber, the violet blade casting a faint light across the medbay's grim expanse. "These ones won't go down easily," she said, her voice steady but tinged with sorrow.

Kahlil Noble
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[Kahlil Noble]

"No, they won't."

Kahlil ignited his own saber once they were down below, his gaze shifting between the various golems. It was one of those cases where he was glad to be Epicanthix. Just feeling how unsettling they felt to Valery's mind had him shiver. Or would've. Instead, he lifted his blade, narrowed his eyes, and took a step forward. He weaved through them in an instant, letting the Force guide him in a blur of movement.

His blade followed suit, heavy battering strikes smacking into each. Breaking their guard, leaving them vulnerable. Tough as they might seem, they were fighting the Sword and Shield.

They didn't stand a chance.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

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Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit | Wedding Ring

Valery's blade moved in perfect harmony with Kahlil's, each strike an extension of their bond. As he broke the defenses of the golems, her swift and precise cuts followed, disabling their limbs and ending their torment with clean, efficient strikes. They fought as one, husband and wife, Sword and Shield, their Dyad in full synchronization.

But as the final golem faltered, something was different. A low, ominous hum began to emanate from its twisted form, the glow of unstable energy surging through its cracks.

Valery's heart sank.

Before she could react, the golem detonated in a violent eruption of dark energy. The explosion ripped through the medbay, a blinding flash of red and black that consumed everything in its radius. The shockwave came at her like a tidal wave, hurling debris and twisted metal in all directions.

Valery raised her arm instinctively, but the sheer force of the blast would overwhelm her defenses. Time seemed to slow as fiery wave bore down, and for a fleeting momentt, everything around her became quiet.

Kahlil Noble
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[Kahlil Noble]

Kahlil was by her side in an instant. Not because he moved to do so, but simply just was. The nature of their Dyad let them exist beside one another, no matter where they went. So, he raised a hand to form a shield, a barrier that blocked away the coming flame as his eyes narrowed in focus. He spoke calm, eyes still forward as he did. "Focus, love. This isn't something that would ever beat you if you were."

Even as he spoke, the skin on his hand blackened and burned. He didn't just appear at her side. He was still across the room. And now, caught within the fire himself. All his focus had been on protecting her. Once the fire died down he let out a breath, letting his hand lower rather uselessly by his side. Pain was nothing new to him. "There's still one more. I can handle them, if you're not ready."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

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Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit | Wedding Ring

Valery's vision returned slowly, the searing brightness of the explosion giving way to the grim sight of Kahlil standing amidst the wreckage. The barrier he had summoned to shield her had held, but at a steep cost. His hand was charred and blackened, the flesh burned from his selfless act. Her heart clenched at the sight, a mixture of guilt and fury burning within her chest.

"Kahlil…" Her voice trembled, barely audible over the crackling remnants of the explosion. He spoke calmly, as he always did, urging her to focus, but his injury weighed heavily on her mind. Her hands clenched tightly around her lightsaber, and in that moment, any hesitation or fear dissolved into a blazing determination.

With renewed vigor, Valery turned toward the final golem, her blade igniting with a sharp hiss. The corrupted monstrosity advanced, its misshapen limbs sparking with dark energy, but Valery moved faster. Her movements were a blur of precision and power, each strike fueled by the fire Kahlil had ignited in her. The violet blade danced, cutting through the air with lethal grace, and in mere moments, the golem was reduced to a heap of shattered metal and stone.

The medbay fell silent once more, save for the faint hum of her lightsaber as she powered it down. Valery didn't waste another second. She turned and rushed toward Kahlil, her heart pounding not from exertion, but from the overwhelming need to be by his side. Her arms wrapped tightly around him, pulling him into an embrace filled with equal parts love and desperation.

"You can't keep doing this," she murmured against his shoulder, her voice breaking slightly. "Hurting yourself to protect me…"

But she knew he always would.

Valery pulled back just enough to take his injured hand into her own, her amber eyes shimmering with unshed tears. Without hesitation, she channeled the Force through their bond, pouring her strength into him. Warmth radiated from her touch as she shared her energy, seeking to ease his pain and begin the healing process.

"I'm so sorry."

Kahlil Noble
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[Kahlil Noble]

Kahlil's expression softened as he watched Valery so hastily tend to his wound. "This place really has you messed up, doesn't it?" He didn't see her get this emotional often. When they fought Sith Lords and practical demons she'd never let her emotions show this much. Kahlil smiled softly, reaching his good hand up to gently brush through her hair soothingly.

"I'm alright. We're alright. It's over."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

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Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit | Wedding Ring

Valery’s sad smile flickered across her lips as she looked down at Kahlil, her hands still lightly gripping his injured arm. His gentle touch as he brushed his hand through her hair was comforting, but it didn’t erase the knot of worry tightening in her chest.

“It’s not alright,” she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. “You got hurt because of me… because I wasn’t fast enough.” Her amber eyes, usually so resolute, glimmered with a trace of guilt. She lowered her gaze briefly, her thumb brushing over his wrist as if the simple gesture could somehow make it all better.

She drew in a slow breath and met his eyes again, her tone steadier now, though still laced with a quiet determination. “But we can make it alright. Together.”

Valery glanced around the ruined medbay, the oppressive weight of dark energy still lingering in the air. The Temple, once a place of light and healing, was now a haunting shadow of its former self. Her gaze hardened with resolve.

“Will you help me cleanse this place?” she asked, her voice filled with purpose. “Rebuild it, so it can be what it once was… or maybe even more.”

She searched his eyes for a moment, her grip on his hand tightening slightly. “I don’t want this darkness to have the final word. Not here. Not anywhere.”

Kahlil Noble
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[Kahlil Noble]

"Of course I'll help you."

He squeezed her hand in turn, smiling softly. This was the side of her he was used to. Confident, strong. They were two of the most powerful Jedi in the Galaxy, after all. His expression softened as he looked around. It wasn't going to be an easy thing to fix, but, it was something they absolutely could. He took a breath as he closed his eyes, focused outward, let the Force flow.

"We should reach out to others, maybe bring more to help cleanse now that the danger has passed."

Valery Noble