TAGS:
Jenn Kryze
"
Tion ke'gyce ner kad al'ijaat?
(What guides my sword if not honor?)"
—Ancient Mandalorian Saying
It was true, the number game was in her favor. But as the battle evolved, it did not seem the true result of it was in
anyone’s favor. Her own clan would suffer despite her promised protection and brighter future, on a world not their own, fighting their own kin. Their victory would be equally as bitter as their defeat, it was a collective assurance - their culture personified. And it only got worse -
Hakon Fett
had made the call to live to fight another day, or die with honor. More and more began to arrive to the evacuation point, even threatening to rival Kryze’s numbers. He had been holding with his own forces alone, but now, with the eager brothers and sisters that joined the fight, his warriors would survive yet. And much like her own clan, they would rebuild in their own way.
“Courage is doing as I do now, seeking to engage a foe greater than ourselves!” He bit back, a sentiment echoed time and time again by the Crusaders of old.
“Even if that was not the case now, it will! Because so long as those such as thyself exist, there will always be someone seeking vengeance! And therein lies the next glorious battle, even if it is unto my end!”
The switch in style was enough to keep him on his toes, able to stave him off from overtaking her with sheer force alone - what would’ve worked for her previous weapon. Deftly she weaved through his attacks, deflecting them with just enough force to not expend too much, while safeguarding her all the same. Both walking a razor’s edge, the tide of battle like the seas of the planet, liable to shift direction at a moment’s notice - a beautifully fragile thing, and each participant knew all too well. And shift it did, though not in Carduul’s favor. One small mistake was all it took.
As he sensed, the daughter of Mandalore was upon him with all the ferocity he had wrought upon her just moments before. The first blow was too close, too swift to block - having to tilt his body just enough to avoid being cleaved into, the armor just barely withstood the beskad,
cracking under its weight and imparting all the energy beneath. A low groan of pain was forced out, turning into a growl as he twisted his weapon to intercept the next diagonal hit. Only to meet the shield once again with the positioning of the interception, the center of his poleaxe taking a majority of it with a
huff of exertion from Carduul.
This was what he sought, what he fought for - training was not the same, stashed away reading passages until the galaxy ended. This was
true glory.
As his head slowly stopped ringing from the prior blow, he was barely able to catch the pair of thrusts she sent with deadly precision towards him - his pivot saw the polearm reeling to barely deflect it off his own breastplate, forcing a trading of blows as it bit into the imperfect armor with its might, no doubt earning a bruise even despite the shell he bore. At the least, so too had his desperate action of recovery succeeded, daunting the so-called Redeemer’s offensive just enough to earn a reprieve.
And so they stood across from each other, pacing slowly in mutual assessment. The Rally Master listened, continuing to step as he did. The poleaxe leveled at her with that same poise as before. The bodies around them, the world all but ending, as these two warred with their separate beliefs. And in response, he allowed a few more moments of silence to pass - staring, with a masked, plaintive look behind the visor that could not be witnessed. It wiped off not long afterwards.
“You still do not understand. We are life and death made manifest. We have won, we have lost more, and we will continue to do so! Our defeats echo as greatly as our victories, for we are remembered nonetheless! That is the reason we stand here, on this very day, as Mando'ade! Even if we had won the Mandalorian Wars, we would still be standing in this. Very. Spot.” The words punctuated with a venomous edge.
They gave way to a glimpse of his own true thoughts and feelings regarding the matter, however briefly. The fact she prized survival so highly was dismaying, in a way. But he could not truly contest it - if at least one did not live, only their deeds could tell their tale. Then there would be nothing but ghost stories. That was one of the many reasons he was here.
He learned much of her in this battle. Glimpsed the soul she casted aside in favor of the aruetiise. It was said such a concept was championed by the Echani - but he felt it applied to the Mandalorians in an all-too-similar manner. And in that glimpse, he had made one key realization, for there could be little other explanation. He could see, now, that she was no
dar’manda. He would feel sorry for her, if there was any room to do so amidst the chaos.
“That is my legacy, Jenn. Outlive me you may, but you cannot outlive what we are. The Enclave embraced it, and the Protectors no doubt soon follow. You fight like us, you act like us, even use the same tactics. Merely masquerading with a new ideal at the forefront.”
“You are, and always will be, a Crusader, just as I am.”
If she truly wished for that brighter future for
all of their kind, she would not be here. She and her troops would not be fighting with the fervor to drive his kind to extinction on behalf of outsiders. The reason was simple, plain for all to see; there
was no brighter future - not for her, not for him. The cycle will continue.
With the words, Mandalorians of varying clans and allegiance soaring over their heads at this point, his stance adjusted to hold the Poleaxe close to his body. He was prepared to lay down his life, this day. To engage in a glorious battle with a dogged contender, one with a kindred spirit of an altogether different purpose. But to throw one’s life away frivolously was honorless - he still had a job to do, a crusade to herald. A tale to tell the end of.
“Despite your misguidance, you still make a worthy foe.” He decreed. It was a testament to her spirit - even he owed her a begrudging respect, old-fashioned as he was. His jetpack spurned to life, and he was up swiftly with a call;
“I hope you will see as I do again, one day. I look forward to our next engagement.”
He was gone with the tide of conflict. Evacuation was well underway. Transport shuttles, the mighty basilisk droids, all gathering together to leave collectively. Others started appearing, like
Sig Dryggo
, like
Feydrik Munin
. Warriors, all. They could not be impeded, though they have been hindered with losses. That would have to be comfort enough, for this battle.