Private Reunion

[Mathieu Brion]

Reunion​

Location: Oricon
Notable Equipment: Jedi armour, other items including a backpack with explosives
Tags: Cadere

---​

The shuttle took off behind him. Normally, Mathieu would pilot the transport himself. Not only was it a rather satisfying activity, it also reduced the crew's workload and meant that a ship would be nearby, should something happen. This time, however, the climate was not quite as hospitable as usual. The occasional lava rain or waves of extreme heat that floated by in the larger open areas were dangerous to ships. Of course, they were dangerous to humans too, but Mathieu had no intentions of staying in the open areas for long. Before the ship hade even taken off, he started to move away from the landing site, towards a valley.

Nestled in between two large mountains, local flora could be found. Plants adapted to the extreme weather conditions of Oricon. They were sturdy and well suited for the hot environment to the point where they thrived in it. Upon nearing the area, Mathieu could feel the temperature get cooler as much of the heat seemed to be absorbed by the plants. It was a location protected from most heat waves and it was rare for lava to rain down into it past the mountains.

The destination was not just any valley, however. The valley had a path that lead to a vault which supposedly contained dark knowledge and hidden secrets. Mathieu didn't know what it was but he had heard it from enough Sith that it was worth investigating.

Eventually, he arrived at a round and heavy metallic door. Mathieu looked up to the skies where Chaussidier and his battleship were. Oddly enough, it was a call for guidance. The old Admiral was the closest person Mathieu had had to a real master. Force sensitive or not, experience and wisdom mattered. Of course, Chaussidier couldn't read minds or communicate telepathically, and that meant that the young Morellian was on his own. "Guess I'm going in then" he muttered, doing his best not to be intimidated by the task at hand. With a powerful yank, he slid open a hatch that revealed a panel. Entering the code a Sith whom he had captured on Korriban had revealed to him, he couldn't help but to feel a shiver through his spine. Something bad was about to happen.

The door unlocked and slowly slid open. Mathieu stepped inside as fans turned on and rows of lights lit up, lighting the path towards another door further in. It was a large chamber. Metallic beams pushed up against the rocky walls and beams stretched all the way up to the ceiling from which large rocky spikes hung. The large Morellian slowly walked deeper inside. The darkness from deeper within the vault pushed against him like a cold harsh blizzard. He had to be strong and to keep moving forth. A pillar of the light against the darkness. Someone to push it back.

It was only a small sensation at first but bit by bit, he seemed to feel the presence of his friend, Cas. Having been away from 'safe' space for a long time, Mathieu didn't quite know what to make of it. Was his friend really there or was he just imagining it in the face of darkness? Regardless, it did work to encourage him in his struggle to the point where he would no longer feel affected by it. A soft smile grew on his lips. Some connections stood stronger than others. But there was still something concerning about it all. Something from outside seemed to be approaching. Slowly but surely, Mathieu moved his right hand towards his waist, pushing aside the outer robe to grab hold of the sabre by his belt.

 

[Cadere]

Location: Oricon
Equipment: 1x Lightsaber | Mantellian Vambrace | 2x Death Squad Troopers

The engine's humming lowered as the shuttle's trajectory slowed and its descent began. Cadere stood behind the two shuttle pilots, his arms folded, one of the pilots picked up on the scanner that there were ships near to the vault they'd be looking for. Nervously the co-pilot attempted to inform the fallen Knight "Sir, there--" "I know." he interrupted, sensing that they wouldn't be the only ones looking for the secrets in the vault. Cadere ordered the pilots to land in front of the valley where the vault was located near, as the shuttle docked and the loading ramp lowered Cadere made his way toward the exit

"Stay." he commanded the Death Soldiers attempting to follow him. Pointing upward, Cadere elaborated "If they come to investigate, I'll need you to defend the shuttle." the Dark Jedi took his first step off of the ship and absorbed his surroundings, the expressionless mask he wore conveyed his irritation perfectly. Locking Dark side secrets away on a Oricon was smart, but was still highly annoying nonetheless. The shuttle quickly took off behind him and returned to its mother ship not too far off.

Cadere's left foot motioned forward, taking his first step toward the valley ahead but he suddenly stopped as a wave of familiarity washed over him like a tsunami. It was a presence he hadn't felt since... Cadere's head snapped to his left. No words escaped his lips, but one thing remained on his mind Mathieu he thought to himself. Memories, happier memories from a simpler time came rushing back. Why? Why did it have to be him? His-- no, Cas Tynen's best friend, was the last thing the fallen Knight needed right now.

Regaining his composure, an annoyed growl escaped his mask as he marched toward the vault with his demeanour steeled and heart hardened. Cadere prepared himself for what he would need to do if push came to shove, prepared for the Padawan or whatever he was now to try and talk him down - talk him out of what he planned to do. Mathieu wouldn't understand though, none of them would, he was doing this for them, to protect them, they just need to stay out of his way.

With a one-track mind, Cadere ignored his surroundings and missed out on the flora that rested between two large mountains. Appearing in front of the vault's entrance, the Fallen Knight's irritation continued to rise as he looked upon the open entrance. It only meant one thing, Cader's fingers curled into fists and they shook with intense frustration. Inhaling deeply Cadere's left hand hovered beside his hip, the lightsaber hilt rattled for a few seconds before flying into the Dark Jedi's hand and with it came a snap-hiss of the crimson blade.

Trailing down the long hallway with ancient Sith markings, the red visor finally locked onto the familiar tall and broad frame of the Morellian. His lightsaber hummed for a few seconds as he watched Cas Tynen's best friend set up explosives at the end of the room "Stop." he commanded, his voice lowering by several octaves as the modulator in his mask gave the Kiffar a mechanical sound to his speech.

Mathieu Brion

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Reunion​

Location: Oricon
Notable Equipment: Jedi armour, other items
Tags: Cadere

---​

His hand rested by the hilt of his sabre as he waited for the dark one to appear.

Nothing yet.

Whoever it was that he sensed was coming closer. But they - rather obviously - weren't there just yet. Mathieu's wide shoulders fell as he let out a breath. While he did not quite relax, he did lower his guard. Battle was sure to come but before then, he had work to do. And then, there was Cas. The sensation of his old friend was odd. Warped, somehow. But if Cas was truly in the vicinity, he was sure that aid would come whenever the inevitable battle begun. It had been a long time since they last met, but the Knight was his best friend, it was a bond that would persevere through time.

Returning to the business at hand, Mathieu kept pushing forth until he reached the heavy door to the inner vault. The darkness seemed to be oozing from it with its foul stench sipping out from the sides. The Jedi removed his backpack and carefully let it down onto the floor by the door. He reached down and picked up some of the explosives and started to install them by the door. Mathieu tried to calm down and centre himself. To find peace and focus. He knew of a couple skillful sentinels who had the ability to enter a trance-like state while working away at something. Unfortunately, he was not quite as skilled as them, not even close. Still, despite focusing on installing the explosives, he could sense the dark presence come closer. Strangely, his sense of Cas was tingling slightly more intensely too. A soft smile grew on his lips. Perhaps his friend had sensed the danger and came to help.

A distorted voice accompanied with the ignition of a lightsabre came from behind. Mathieu, somewhat prepared for the moment finished his current procedure - it was fast, only a second or two, but it was enough to convey a sense of nonchalance. Before turning around to face the dark sider, he couldn't help but to wonder: Something was familiar about that voice.

In one swift move, the large Morellian stood up and turned around whilst his right arm folded outwards and pushing the outer robe to the side. The blue sabre came to life and soon produced a soft hum. The impressively framed Mathieu moved closer to the robed foe with long strides. The way in which he held his sabre, his physique and battle armour underneath the outer robes revealed a Jedi who would not shy away from a fight. In fact, he had fought more Sith than most after having spent an extensive period of time in the core of the old Sith Empire.

"I will give you the same offer as I gave the others. Surrender." Mathieu spoke with confidence and authority. In a way, it sounded more like a demand to surrender than a plead. With that, he discretely manipulated the controls by his wrist to activate reflex enhancing stimulants as he entered his usual balanced Soresu stance. In a number of instances, this had been enough to prevent a fight from breaking out at all. And if it didn't, he knew that he would either be able to defeat the foe or hold out until his friend would come to the rescue.

 

[Cadere]

Turmoil surrounded the Dark Jedi like a devastating hurricaine, although he tried to keep his feelings vague through the Force - a hint of what he was going through internally would manage to slip through the cracks. Cadere's grip tightened around his lightsaber, he didn't want to fight Mathieu, not because of the relationship the Morellian had with Cas Tynen but because he knew his current feelings of conflict would keep him unbalanced if... when they began to fight. Cadere knew the Morellian wasn't one to run from a fight, no matter how overwhelming his odds were.

The Dark Jedi discreetly projected his strength within the Dark side of the Force outward, hoping that Mathieu would catch wind of Cadere's growth in power and, reconsider what was about to come next. Cadere stood opposite of the Light sider, lightsaber humming over the intense tension that filled the vault, the conflict within him felt as if it had frozen him in place. Never had the Dark Jedi had to stop and evaluate whether to duel an opponent or not... unfortunately, this wasn't a regular opponent.

Visor remaining fixated on the Morellian which towered over him, he fuelled his power, focusing on his rage and hatred, the rage he felt toward seeing Mathieu, of all people, again burned hot within him like a furnace, his hatred for Insatious and what Cadere had to become surged through the fallen Knight's bones like electricity. Mathieu would feel Cadere's negative emotions and power in the Dark side pulsate around the Dark Jedi like an exposed vein. The Dark side's influence washed away his inner turmoil, at least for a moment and invigorated him. The Morellian shouldn't have come here.

"Idiot." Cadere blocked any access to his mind and his feelings for a moment, preventing Mathieu from predicting or sensing his opening attack. Cadere would suddenly appear before Mathieu, proceeding to quickly expelling a Force repulse to knock the Morellian into the wall behind him. Cadere didn't want to kill Mathieu, nor did he want to, he just needed him to be gone from this place.

Mathieu Brion

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Reunion​

Location: Oricon
Notable Equipment: Jedi armour, other items
Tags: Cadere

---​

Mathieu was no master of the seventh lightsabre form. Taking the dark energy exuded by his foe and using it against them. It would have been a useful talent to have, considering how many Sith he had fought in the recent most time. Instead, his main approach was to block his foe's darkness out. To centre himself and to find balance in the light. He could feel how this no longer felt as natural to him as it did back when he was still regularly in contact with other Jedi. His mind had now become more like that of the mentor he found in Chaussidier - more calculating and strategic. Less like that of a more traditional Jedi. For a moment, it brought him down. But then, he focused.

It was this focus that helped him stay unaffected when Cadere tried to overwhelm him in the dark side of the force. It was also what caused him not to discover what should have been so obvious. That Cas and Cadere were the same person. Instead, he still felt confident in his belief that his best friend was still on his way to come aid him against this foe.

The snappy comment came at him from nowhere. It did remind him of Cas. It was not quite of the same calibre, but the style was the same. Just like when he used to spar with Cas, Mathieu didn't offer much in response to the quip. Instead, he focused on what seemed like a rather inevitable battle. But despite all of that preparation, the sudden burst of speed still came as a surprise. It was a move which Cas had made before - but this seemed quicker and more violent.

While his defences were well prepared for a sabre-based attack, he was wide open to the sudden use of force repulse. Mathieu was much heavier than most, both with a thick layer of muscle over his tall frame and then his heavy armour on top of that. But the attacker seemed to have taken it into account and off he flew. Cracks appeared as he hit the rocky wall behind him. Loose rubble started falling from the ceiling and noise from deeper within suggested that the structural integrity of the cave was veining. But Mathieu was not.

With a loud thud, he hit the ground once more, his boots standing steadily as he prepared for another attack. Mathieu, now taking a defensive Soresu stance, was prepared for what was to come. It was a weakness, in a way, for his fighting style was very defensive. He did not launch a counter attack or keep up a high degree of pressure. Instead, he simply took the punishment and pressed on. It was only a matter of time before his friend would be there to help him out. If his foe would try to surprise him by another burst of speed, however, Mathieu would be ready for it - his focus was great enough to now respond to it.

 

[Cadere]

Cadere watched as the Morellian's heavyset body flew into the wall and slid downward, however, he wasn't going to stop there. He knew Mathieu had a weakness to Force-based attacks, not having seen him in years, he wondered if that weakness still remained. This time, using his natural speed, Cadere closed the gap he had made between him and Mathieu and rushed toward him before unleashing an accelerated flurry of attacks with the strength of his blows enhanced by his connection and submergance within the Dark side of the Force.

"All... you... had... to... do... was... leave!" he exclaimed through gritted teeth and in between every attack he made. Cadere was aware of his old friend's defensive style, but then again, he wasn't trying to beat him - only to get him to leave. Following his flurry, Cadere used his momentum to lunge between Mathieu's legs, enhancing his speed to appear as a blur, and transition into a roll behind him before slamming his palm into the ground and expelling another Force repulse to knock the Morellian closer toward the entrance.

"JUST. GET. OUT!" he hollered, Cadere's demeanour was normally very cold and callous, unemotional, but seeing Mathieu. It stirred things inside him, drove him to rage, sorrow and panic - he was a flux of emotions... however, he knew he had to embrace everything he felt to further immerse himself in the Dark side of the Force.

His resolve was shaken, Mathieu's presence was making Cas-- Cadere, question every decision he'd made in the past three years. No, no, he needed to do this. He needed to keep everyone he loved safe, and the Dark side was the only way to do this. His resolve steeled once more, Cadere needed to follow through with his grand plan, Mathieu was only a wrench in the works.

Mathieu Brion

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Reunion​

Location: Oricon
Notable Equipment: Jedi armour, other items
Tags: Cadere

---​

What followed was a series of powerful attacks. Each strike seemed to carry way more weight behind them than one would have expected from someone of Cadere's stature. It was not quite enough to give Mathieu a run for his money but he knew that this was not a battle where going easy was an option. Still, he had fought many different Sith opponents, all with their own shapes and sizes. From his point of view, this was just another variation.

Deciding to start what had become something of a signature move of his, Mathieu started mixing in power attacks in his otherwise solid defence. The attacks were not directed at his opponent, but rather at their weapon. Most foes would stagger from being met by such force upon attacking the young Morellian. It was a sure way to gain some ground.

In this instance, however, gaining ground was what allowed the smaller fighter to slide in between his legs and emerge on the other side. This time, however, Mathieu was prepared for the sudden burst of speed and the following repulse. He had already fallen for the trick in the beginning of the fight and was more prepared this time. As his foe zapped in underneath him, the large Morellian turned around. With the momentum he carried from turning around, he threw is blue sabre towards his foe - a move which required incredible speed and reflexes to avoid once committed to rolling and producing a force repulse.

Mathieu was not done there, however. Pulling out his secondary weapon, he lunged towards the smaller foe, propelling himself through the air with the force. While the repulse managed to slow him down and drench the vicinity in a cloud of dust as it hit the cave around them, it would not change the Jedi's course. Thus, he shot out from the dust cloud and came crashing down towards the Sith. The green blade had a tremendous amount of force behind it, enough to make most sabre arms bend. Once back on the ground. Mathieu would summon his blue blade - if the foe was still standing, he would be ready to continue the battle with increasing ferociousness.

 

[Cadere]

Cadere expected Mathieu's attack pattern, adding in an occasional counter-attack within his defensive wall. Brion and Tynen would regularly spar once upon a time. Although Cadere anticipated the Padawan's "signature move", the force that came with his attacks were nonetheless jarring - even with his enhanced strength that the Dark side currently gifted him, as well as the mechanical arm that belonged to Cadere. The Jedi had definitely grown stronger in the years since he last saw him - not just within the Force, but physically too.

The Dark Jedi slightly turned his head ever so slightly to see if the Morellian had gone far. Only, his peripheral caught sight of the incoming blue lightsaber headed for his direction. Thankfully, the inhuman reaction time the Kiffar had displayed countless times before allowed Cadere to swivel his body 180 degrees on one knee and swat the projectiled lightsaber away with his own crimson blade.

Mathieu's sudden aggression was... surprising. Cadere spotted Mathieu's green lightsaber in the dust cloud he'd created, forgetting the Padawan even had a second one, the Dark Jedi grew frustrated at the Padawan's refusal to back down. With only seconds to react, Cadere proceeded to do the one thing that may reveal his identity to the Morellian. As he watched the green lightsaber crash down on top of him, Cadere quickly lifted his right hand and shielded himself with the Mantellian Vambrace Tynen had found alongside Brion years ago.

The force of Mathieu's attack forced Cadere onto one knee, but that would be the least of his problems. Noticing the Padawan summoning his other lightsaber toward him Cadere stuck his own lightsaber out in the direction of the incoming blue blade and lifted two of his fingers off of the hilt, using telekinesis to halt its trajectory, if only for a few seconds. Releasing his telekentic grip from Mathieu's blade, Cadere horizontally struck toward Mathieu's upper thigh with the tip of his lightsaber, attempting to cut the Morellian, not dismember him.

If his attack struck true, Cadere would swiftly adjust his kneeling position to a seated one, all the while keeping Vambrace arm raised, lifting both of his legs and kicking himself off of Mathieu's shins into a safer position and to create more distance between the two.

Mathieu Brion

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Reunion​

Location: Oricon
Notable Equipment: Jedi armour, other items
Tags: Cadere

---​

The battle raged on as the Sith reacted at an incredible speed. First to deflect Mathieu's thrown blade with the red sabre. Then to hold on against the heavy power attack from above with his vambrace. Vambraces that could so staunchly withstand the blade of a lightsabre were extremely rare. Something which got a few thoughts rolling in the large Morellian's mind. Still, what remained his primary focus was the battle at hand. Everything else was secondary. He had managed to force his opponent down, effectively making him less mobile and more vulnerable to further attacks. What remained now was to press the advantage.

What he had not expected was for the Sith to reach out with a telekinetic move of his own to prevent Mathieu's blade from coming home. A standstill ensued as the lightsabre struggled against two opposing wishes. It only ended when the Sith went for a quick cut against the Jedi. Mathieu barely had any time to react but knew that the heavy armour plate would catch the crimson blade. He didn't need to change course and instead continued pulling his blade back, now without resistance.

A violent spark flared up as the crimson blade hit the armour plate. Pain infiltrated the Padawan's mind as the sabre inched closer to his leg as the metallic plate started to melt. But time was on his side - for while his leg was under attack, his own blue blade would swing towards the Sith's now completely open side. The battle would end in one decisive slash. Would.

Mere moments before the blade connected, Mathieu extinguished it. Memories of his best friend, Cassie, flooded his mind. The many times they sparred by the Silver Rest on Kashyyyk. Their adventures on Nar Shaddaa and Manaan. The times they went to war together against the Sith and the Bryn. But most importantly, their expedition to Yavin IV where he found a lightsabre resistant vambrace. The vambrace belonged to Cas. Mathieu could recognise it. He finally realised that his best friend was not coming to save him against the Sith. Instead, they were exchanging lethal blows in a tough duel. The killing blow would not be dealt.

With the pain by his leg increasing, Mathieu extinguished the green blade too. With one hand, he grabbed the Sith by the sabre-wielding wrist, with the other, he reached down to grab a thigh. With one swift motion, Mathieu hurled the dark sider away with a force that could break bones.

Molten metal ran down along what still remained of the armour plate by his leg. The large Morellian let out a pained scream that echoed in the chamber that was now only drenched in the dark red light of the Sith's crimson blade. It was a pained scream that lasted for far longer than the metal would burn - for the cause of it was not physical.

Had he been selfish to leave with Chaussidier? Should he have stayed back with the others? Self-blame and sadness took over. Mathieu tried to form words but in his current state, it was a pointless exercise. His thoughts ventured to abandonment. He had lost so many allies, mentors and friends. Cas had been the one to stand by his side throughout it all. Until now. Until he turned. The pained screaming soon turned into what seemed more like an angered roar. His large chest rose and fell with every breath as is powerful form - all drenched in the red of the crimson sabre - shook and trembled. His emotions were starting to venture towards hate. Hate of Cassie, hate of the Jedi teachings, hate of himself. But before he truly got to that point, it stopped - a small and most involuntary sense of calm befell him. Not enough to make him feel any better but enough to replace the anger, blame and hate with suffering. And suffering, he was. Moreso than from any wound he had acquired on the field of battle. Darkness had almost taken over but deep down, a small source of light still shimmered. The pained screams and roaring died down.

Mathieu felt lost. Empty. His gaze hung low. He didn't want to look at the Sith whom he had just been fighting. With a shaky tone, he tried form a weak "Why?" but his voice had been all too worn out from the roar. His mouth moved as he tried again, but only small weak noises came out.

 

[Cadere]

Cadere watched as Mathieu's blue blade sailed toward his exposed side from the corner of his eye, the fallen Knight prepared freeze its trajectory once more with the Force. His eyes widened in surprise at its sudden deactivation of Brion's lightsaber, the expression behind the Kiffar's mask was bewilderment - why did he stop? Cadere was only able to ponder this question for the smallest of seconds when he felt the wrist of his dominant hand tighten, and then pressure on his thigh.

Before he'd realised what had happened, Cadere felt his entire body take flight as Mathieu proceeded to launch him away with brute force alone. Regaining his bearings, Cadere tucked his knees in and transitioned into a backflip, landing on his feet with a gymnast's grace. With his mind still in a combative mindset, the Dark Jedi' raised his blade and hopped in place ever so slightly, ready to engage in further combat. The primal roar which escaped the Morellian's lungs managed to knock Cadere out of this mindset, at least for a moment.

Lowering his blade and relaxing his stance, what followed Mathieu's screams came a pool of emotions that overwhelmed him through the Force. There was a lot of emotions to sift through, but the one that dominated them the most was Mathieu's suffering. To bring the Padawan to this level of emotional devastation, the fallen Knight knew that Mathieu had just discovered the truth. Cadere's own negative feelings within the Force, his rage, hatred, guilt and own self-loathing formed a barrier around him and Tynen's old friend - protecting him from Brion's tsunami of emotions but also keeping Cas Tynen's old sentiments from seeping through the dark barrier he had created.

Cadere simply watched as the Morellian went through, what seemed like, every emotion to ever exist. He finally stopped, going silent, leaving only the hum of the Dark Jedi's lightsaber to fill the deafening quiet and, despite Mathieu's dark feelings, Cadere could still sense the light-- the inherent goodness within the Padawan. Contrasting with what had been completely wiped out within himself, or so Cadere thought.

The Kiffar remained composed, refusing to acknowledge his own growing weakness he felt gnawing inside him. Unsure of what Mathieu was trying to say, Cadere proceeded to speak over the distraught Padawan "I didn't want it to be this way." he sympathised, albeit with a deadpan tone. He extinguished his lightsaber, Cadere's fiery unbridled rage simmered into a cold, focused anger and he continued to speak "I don't expect you to understand. I just need you to know that I'm doing this for you. All of you." the Dark Jedi's right arm raised and his fingers stretched out, Cadere took hold of Mathieu's neck and gripped it tightly wih the Force's ethereal grip.

Levitating his large frame slightly off the ground, Cadere recalled on his new Master's teachings and dug into the deepest parts of Mathieu's mind. Telepathically, the Dark Jedi dragged Mathieu's deepest fears and worst memories to the surface - forcing his best friend from his former life to live it all. "Don't get in my way." he warned coldly, just before flicking his fingers, telekinetically hurling the Morellian toward the exit. If Mathieu knew any better, he'd cut his losses and go to... wherever he resided now.

Mathieu Brion

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Reunion​

Location: Oricon
Notable Equipment: Jedi armour, other items
Tags: Cadere

---​

Cassie's words were cold and impersonal. But even then, Mathieu could now hear his friend's voice beneath the filter. It was a comfort. Something that helped build him up. It was as if the floor had opened up underneath him for an endless fall into a void - and now his mate was lifting him up from it again. Weak and vulnerable, Mathieu couldn't help but to wish - to think - that his friend was back on his side. Somewhere, he heard the actual words too - but more importantly, the voice brought him to a safe place. It allowed him to drop his guard - not that it was particularly strong after his breakdown.

The words of his friend echoed in his mind when suddenly, he felt his airways tighten. His hands instinctively shot up to alleviate the pressure from his throat. But they only helplessly clasped at the nothingness that held it. At first, Mathieu didn't understand what was going on. He was too desperate to believe in his friend's goodness for that. His eyes rose to meet the Sith's visor. His mouth moved once more to plead for help. But even if his airways weren't so restricted, his worn out voice wouldn't carry far regardless.

His toes slowly left the ground as Cassie's arm rose higher. An ever-growing pit of sadness started to manifest in his being as he was forced to realise that it was Cassie who was doing this to him. He had dropped his guard, and now he was made to suffer for it. And suffer he would. For soon, horrible thoughts started flooding his mind. Thoughts of his old friends in Okkeus and Caden falling from the light. Thoughts of his loved ones turning on him. On how his former mentor Palm-Imer, a beacon of neutrality, would fall into darkness. On how his current mentor Chaussidier was killed in the skies, protecting Mathieu from Sith-Imperial forces. And finally thoughts on how he would have to battle his best friend. Mathieu was a social being - his fears did not concern material wealth or his own being. They concerned those around him. The people he loved and viewed as comrades in arms. One of his worst fears was already happening. It was there when his eyes were closed shut and it was there when he opened them again. Cassie, his best friend, was still making him suffer.

And then, he was flung away, far from the second chamber's door towards the exit.

His strong body rolled limply on the floor as the momentum carried him further. Broken, the Padawan stayed down in a husk-like state. For even when freed from the Dark Jedi's influence, the horrors were still happening. They were still enemies.

Mathieu's comms device came to life. An override from the cruiser had activated it. Chaussidier appeared holographically. "Brion, report." the stern voice sounded dull, as if it came from hundreds of meters away. Mathieu could hear it, but his mind was not present enough to grasp it. The continued demands for reports seemed to fall on deaf ears.

Slowly, however, memories of hope started to return to the Jedi's mind. Memories of when Caden came back to the Jedi. Memories of when Okkeus came back to the light. He remembered that time when Sammy had unloaded a full magazine into him. But also how they later became friends and how he met her daughter Ara. Palm had gone missing - it brought him back down. But then, he finally woke to Chaussidier's voice. The old man was not dead. He had lived through many seasons but he still stood strong. Mathieu looked to the holographic image of his mentor. Another feeling of being safe. With someone whom he could rely on. Just like before with Cassie. Answering was not possible, for talking was still hard.

Still lying on the floor, his eyes slowly rose with ever increasing determination. The large Morellian was battle tested, hardened through strife. He was a warrior, through and through. In the place of emptiness and hopelessness, a sense of duty and loyalty started to fill his being. He allowed the force to reinvigorate him as he got back up on his feet. Once more, the Jedi stood tall. He was shaky from the mental strain that had been put on him. But he was determined to make it right. To bring his friend back to the light.

Sheathing the green blade, he brought out a detonator from his pocket. Only some of the explosive charges had been set but the explosive-filled bag was still by the door. Mathieu clicked the button, causing the explosives to come to life. The ones with a display started to show a countdown timer as the others simply blinked in red. It was a queue to leave the area for anyone who valued their life. With determined steps, Mathieu walked back, deeper into the chamber. With a low hum, he ignited his blade, allowing its blue light to drench the vicinity. Battle was once more upon them.

Spoiler: Chaussidier

Considering Mathieu's state and the sound of an igniting lightsabre, it is safe to assume that Chaussidier will spring into action.

 

[Cadere]

And that was that... or so his hubris believed. With Mathieu thought to now be out of the way, the Dark Jedi stalked over to the charges placed by the Morellian prior to the fight. Extending his right arm forward, Cadere prepared to remove them with the Force but as the set charge beeped to life, the Kiffar's eyes widened in surprise... then furrowed in rage. With only a few seconds left on the timer, a primal growl of frustrationg escaped Cadere's lips as he spun on his heel and sprinted toward the exit with a burst of Force induced speed.

White hot fury deafened any sense of reason the Dark Jedi had, any knowledge that would help him become stronger, help him stop Darth Insatious once and for all was lost. And it was all that idiot's fault! Nothing was going to stop Cadere from hurting the Morellian that delayed his plan, he was going to break him.

In the midst of his escape from the vault, he laid eyes on Mathieu's broad frame. With the Force still fuelling his motion, Cadere had only milliseconds to enact what he was about to do next. The fallen Knight proceeded to jump, his momentum still sending him in the direction of Mathieu, before lifting both legs and tucking in his knees toward his torso and kicking the Morellian with the force of a cannon ball. Kicking off Mathieu's torso into a backflip, he had his lightsaber ready for any type of counter Brion would attempt. Landing on his feet, Cadere wildly swung away at the Padawan screaming and raving in his face as he did so.

"I TOLD YOU TO LEAVE! I GAVE YOU A CHANCE!" Cadere hollered "WHY WON'T YOU LEAVE ME ALONE!" the Dark Jedi ceased his attacks, summoning the power of the Force into his legs and feet, springing himself upward and transitioning into a somersault over the tall Morellian's head. With his free hand, Cadere internalised his fiery hot fury and manifested it physically with the Force as flames erupted from the palm of his hand like a flame thrower, threatening to roast the Morellian alive if he didn't move. Cadere landed on his feet in a crouched position and horizontally swung his crimson blade at the exposed part of Mathieu's armor between his thigh and knee plating.

Mathieu Brion

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Reunion​

Location: Oricon
Notable Equipment: Jedi armour, other items
Tags: Cadere

---​

Mathieu didn't get far before Cas sped towards him. There would be another clash. He was prepared for it. He was prepared to fight his best friend - or whatever it was that had now seemingly taken over his mind and body.

The first attack was far from unexpected. The Kiffar had always been an acrobatic one and the leap that transitioned into a brutal kick was in line with what he had expected. Raising his sabre horizontally, Mathieu set himself up to cut Cas' legs off as he kicked or to bring it up high to cut the attacker if he chose to jump above him. It was an effective counter that would be hard to fend against as the jump had been made. But then, the red blade was there to ward off against dangers. Regardless, the kick would not be able to be performed without also loosing the legs.

If the dark sider managed to prevent getting his limbs cut off and pushed the attack, Mathieu would offer a valiant defence. His focus now was not to retaliate. Instead, he worked methodically to do what he did best. To fight Sith. He wanted to tire the opponent out - it would take quite a bit of time, considering the Dark Jedi's stamina and that Mathieu had already taken a beating himself. But in the end, the aggressive Ataru style tended to be more draining than his own Soresu. The large Morellian blocked and deflected the blows as they came and he even took steps backwards when he deemed that he would either conserve more of his own energy or drain more of his opponent's energy by doing so.

This was not any fight however. Regardless of how much Mathieu wanted to pretend that he could treat it as he did the other fights, it simply wasn't possible. When he heard his best friend's enraged roars at him, his heart seemed to break a little and his will to fight waned. "Cassie!" his voice was drenched in desperation as he kept defending against the furious onslaught, slowly backing towards the door that lead out. "We have to stop this" he continued.

Whether he could be heard or not, another acrobatic attack seemed to follow as the attacker shot up into the air. Hoping to stay true to his words - at least to give his friend a chance to let them sink in, Mathieu responded with the least lethal counter that he could think of. With the flick of a hand, he produced a relatively powerful telekinetic blast to send Cas back. The Kiffar was airborne meaning that he had nothing to root him in place against the blast and Mathieu hoped that that would be enough. It was not until a few brief moments later that he realised that his opponent had summoned a flame through the force. Some of it was bound to be pushed back towards Cas' direction by the telekinetic blast. The heat that still came Mathieu's wave would burn hot by his head, forcing him to swiftly swirl backwards to the side, putting him on the metallic threshold of the door that lead outside.

If Cas still shot forth to slash Mathieu's leg horizontally upon landing, he would simply pull it back and let the heavy metallic doorframe take the hit. If this happened, Cas would also be exposing himself and give Mathieu the opportunity to produce a slightly diagonal vertical slash down at the smaller fighter's shoulder to cut off his other arm. If the vambrace was used to defend against the attack once more, the large Morellian would produce a bone crushing kick to send the dark sider tumbling back and away from him.

Regardless of whether Cas continued attacking after landing or not, Mathieu would have fought to produce a pause in the fight.

His blue eyes were filled with sadness as he looked to the masked opponent "What happened to you" his disheartened voice trembled as he raised it, now needing to compete against the loud volcanic activity outside. "I trusted you! You were the one that was supposed to stay true!" mixed with the despair that filled his voice was a sense of hopelessness. How could I keep going when even you have fallen? the thoughts would not be uttered in words. But there was no need for words; his body language, voice and eyes - they all said what his voice would not.

 

[Cadere]

Mathieu was consistently reminding the fallen Knight of his expected growth in combat prowess. The Morellian had managed to react well in time to Cadere's incoming kick, preparing to attack him as he drew nearer to the completion of his attempted kick. It was time to remind Mathieu he too had grown, especially his ability to adapt. With his right hand free, Cadere wound it back before quickly thrusting it forward and unleashing a powerful telekentic push that shook the surrounding area, to throw the Morellian off his feet or at the very least stagger him off balance to where he'd be unable to strike at the Dark Jedi's legs.

If Mathieu managed to evade Cadere's telekinetic attack, the Kiffar proceeded to redirect the energy he'd dispelled, wrapping the Force's ethereal hold around himself and took measures to slow his own trajectory enough where he'd be able to stop at a slightly safer distance. With his legs already tucked, Cadere adjusted into a back flip just before his trajectory had halted to land safely on the ground. Rushing towards his taller and more broad opponent, Cadere continued attacking - Mathieu's defensive nature as well as his natural strength made it difficult for the Dark Jedi to penetrate, despite his enhanced physical strength through the Dark side.

He heard the Morellian attempt to talk to him, however all the Kiffar was able to hear was muffled noise as his ears ran hot with fury. As Cadere went airborne, his yellow-red eyes picked up on the slight gesture Mathieu's hand made and promptly shielded his face, putting up an invisible wall to block the Padawan's telekinetic attack. Feeling the telekinetic force ripple through his skin and garnments, however there was still the threat of the flames he'd conjured with the Force.

Saving himself from the full brunt of his attack blowing back in his face, Cadere redirected the flames away from himself as much as he could although his arm caught a bit of fire from the initial blowback. Landing back down, the Dark Jedi ceased his follow-up attack and began patting the flames off his left arm. Mathieu took the brief pause in their duel to try and talk again, the Morellian's saddened voice only served to annoy him. If only he'd just left, the stubborn idiot.

Cadere took the opportunity to fully rid his arm of the small flame that has caught onto his robed arm, ignoring what the Padawan had to say - he'd already given Mathieu the answer he needed back when he tried to end the fight. If he couldn't accept it, then it was his own fault. The small break in their fight would also give the fallen Knight time to calm down and regain his composure. His breathing slowed and his demeanour changed once more, rage subsiding Cadere realised there was nothing left here for him now - thanks to Mathieu. Continuing to fight him would be pointless.

As he finished patting away the flame, Cadere raised his head to meet the Morellian's eyes with his crimson visor. He stared at him in silence for a few moments before finally extinguishing his lightsaber and placing it back on his hip. Tapping the side of his mask, the Dark Jedi finally spoke "Bring me a shuttle. There's nothing left for me now." he ordered with the cold metallic tone that the mask added to his voice. Cadere took a step forward, trudging forward in order to pass Mathieu and leave the vault. If his old friend attempted to stop him, he'd be dealing with reinforcements quite soon.

Mathieu Brion

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Reunion​

Location: Oricon
Notable Equipment: Jedi armour, other items
Tags: Cadere

---​

Cassie - Cas - Cassalius - whoever the man in front of him was had changed. Mathieu blankly watched the Kiffar trying to rid himself of his own flames. Part of his mind was focused on making peace between them. The other part was focused on their battle, rewinding what had just happened.

Even when coming at Mathieu at a high speed to deliver a powerful kick, the dark sider still had the foresight to disrupt Mathieu's counter attack through a telekinetic wave send towards the ground upon which he stood. Mathieu remembered how he was taken by surprise and forced to stagger back with his sabre in a defensive guard in order to avoid the kick. It was something to be weary of next time. Still, the battle had raged on.

He remembered how Cassie had been able to withstand his telekinetic blast to a degree. The fire was still sent back at him and his attack was interrupted. But even then, he had managed to escape most of the flames too. He would later come to regret not having paid more attention during his time at the SIlver Rest - if he had, maybe his capabilities with the force would have been greater. Now, however, he focused on the present - on how to do if violence would once more fall upon them.

Surprised, Mathieu simply watched as his old friend called for a pickup. The corner of his lips fell as a defeated look plastered itself onto his face. Maybe there wouldn't be any more violence - but the idea of talking and making peace also seemed to be out of the question. Whoever the fallen Jedi was with now was probably coming to pick him up and by that point, survival would most likely be nigh on impossible. Still, this was his friend - he had to be saved. And all the time he had spent with Chaussidier had been time that he fought Sith in. This was his job. Even then, however, Mathieu considered himself to be reasonable and could often see when it was time to back down - to save his strength to fight another day.

This time, however, logic was overcome by emotion.

As his old friend tried to move past him, an inner rage burst into his very core. In an instant, peace evaporated. Passion took its place and with that, he made a sudden attack. With the dark sider in range, Mathieu's knee shot up, delivering a brutal kick to his opponent's abdomen as his broken voice let out a bestial roar. If Cassie had been able to reignite his sabre, the Jedi's blue blade would quickly be there to meet it as he used his free arm to throw a punch against the masked face. The two attacks came combined into a brutal combo that had the capacity to kill any normal foe and were produced at a sudden - not even Mathieu was prepared for them until he exploded.

Unless he was faced with an immediate counter attack, Mathieu would not proceed with further strikes. Instead, he remained where he stood, his jaw clenched as his eyes focused on the fallen Jedi. A volcanic eruption nearby made a thunderous sound. Behind him, small lava fragments rained down after having found their way through the foliage. The Jedi barely registered it as he spoke with a loud voice "Why?! What happened to you?!"

 

[Cadere]

Cadere continued on his way to pass Mathieu, in deep thought about the events that had transpired. Deep regret festered within the depths of the Dark Jedi's heart, beyond the cold and detatched wall he placed in front of his true emotions. He hated that it was Mathieu, and even worse, he knew who he was and that he was alive - it wouldn't be long until the Padawan would rally everyone he cared for and hunt him and Insatious down. He felt a flush of anger once again, cursing the universe for his predicament, if only he could be left to his devises he could gather the power he needed to defeat and kill Insatious without risking the lives of those he cared about - as well as recovering Ki'an's family in the process.

Cadere felt the sudden shift in the Morellian's emotions, in an instant, the fallen Knight felt the fury erupt within the Padawan. Mathieu's roar rang through Cadere's ears, and his outburst was followed with a sudden attack to his abdomen. Cursing himself for not keeping his defences up, the Kiffar bent over slightly and grunted through his teeth as the pain that shot through his body.

Recoiling quickly, he wouldn't be caught off guard like that again and jerked his head and leaned his torso to the right, avoiding Mathieu's follow up punch. Cadere's right arm shot forward, throwing a counter punch while simultaneously igniting his lightsaber from his belt with his left hand in preparation to defend himself from any of Mathieu's attacks.

If Mathieu managed to avoid, block or counter his punch with one of his lightsabers - Cadere was fully prepared to pull his right arm back with lightening speed that the Force granted him and meet it with his blade. Mathieu asked the same question once again, demanded it actually. The Kiffar continued to ignore him, having already told him all he needed to know. Regardless the answer wouldn't have changed anything or how the distraught Morellian was currently feeling.

"I don't want to kill you." Cadere said calmly seconds before he entered into a backflip away from Mathieu and then lunged toward the hallway's wall, kicked his feet out and propelled himself off of it like a tick. Cadere launched himself in Mathieu's direction, but overhead, and struck toward the Morellian's shoulder and simultaneously slowed the Padawan's movements with the Force through the flick of his wrist - the attack wasn't intended as lethal but served as a warning. If his attack struck true, Cadere threw himself into a somersault and landed a few feet behind the large Morellian "Don't look for me." he said as he reached for a small cluster of the lava fragments outside and pulled them inward like bullets toward Mathieu.

Cadere then broke into a sprint and directed himself toward the vault's exit and into raining lava fragments outside, avoiding the ones he'd summoned inside with acrobatics.

Mathieu Brion

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Reunion​

Location: Oricon
Notable Equipment: Jedi armour, other items
Tags: Cadere

---​

The punch could be felt despite the heavy armour plates protecting him. Cassie had never been a pushover and that was particularly true now that he allowed the dark side to fuel his strength and power. But after just having received a knee to his abdomen and avoiding a strike from Mathieu, the Kiffar was in a poor position to put much weight behind his attack. And aside from his armour, Mathieu's own physique and strength was considerable. The attack was shrugged off and he would still demand to know what had happened.

The answer never came. Instead, his old friend expressed a sentiment that - in his core - Mathieu shared. But then, did it really matter if Cassie wanted to kill him or not? There was a - perhaps prideful - thought in the large Morellian's mind that the dark sider wouldn't be able to do it even if he tried. The rage he felt was precisely the source he needed to throw out a hurtful quip. To say something that would make Cassie hurt just as much as he did. But I want to kill you the thought flashed by in an instant but the words were never uttered. Mathieu felt a sorrowful pit grow within him and regret of just having held the idea in his mind befell him. Calmer, but still not at peace, he let out a low "Just come with me. We'll fig-" before the sentence was completed, the dark sider sprung to action once more.

Mathieu knew then that it was once again time for battle. He forfeited the idea of completing his sentence and instead raised his blade in a high guard. Successfully, he managed to predict what Cassie's move would be. An aerial attack. Of course.

Once more, he moved his defensive blade in an upwards swing - intent on converting his defensive stance into a battle-ending slash at his airborne foe. But then, he felt how his movements slowed. Focus went to the attacker's hand. Another trick. It was enough to neutralise Mathieu's attack but it also meant that his defensively held blade would be in a good position to keep him safe from the aerial slash. Instead of risking having the crimson blade cut into his shoulder, Mathieu saw - through the corner of his eye - how it simply cut through his outer robes and barely scratched an armour plate. Red sparks were propelled forth from the impact between the sabre and the armour plate and a few light flames erupted and died. It was a close call, but in the end, he was alright.

Too many times, Mathieu had failed to defend himself against his opponent's force based attacks. He was better at it than before but his capacities were still somewhat lacklustre in that department.

Quickly, Mathieu turned as Cassie landed behind him. "I'll follow you..." he muttered, his voice menacingly low. As the cluster of lava fragments rained towards him and the agile opponent performed his acrobatics to avoid them, it was Mathieu's turn to reach out through the force. With a yank, he produced a heavy downwards pressure in an area. It would alter the lava fragments' course radically as they would quickly shoot down to the ground. And depending on what acrobatics Cas did, the attack could possibly work to pull him down to the ground or disturb his balance and cause him to stumble. Regardless, it was the opening Mathieu wanted.

Once more reaching out through the force, he propelled himself in a high leap where he aimed to land roughly where the dark sider was. As the thrust died midair and he relied on the momentum to fall down, Mathieu completed his previous sentence "...to the end of the Galaxy" albeit with a grunt towards the end as he produced a powerful attack whilst landing close to his foe. His blade would come crashing down with tremendous force. But instead of aiming for Cassie, it was aimed to hit his crimson blade. The goal of the attack was to create an opening.

If possible, Mathieu would then proceed with a flurry of heavy jabs, kicks and punches - keeping the pressure high and using his own blade to try to prevent the Sith's blade from coming close. His blade-arm would be used offensively too, however, as the hand holding the pommel could still throw a punch when the red lightsabre was not an immediate threat. The series of attacks was brutal in their nature and uncommon among Jedi. Armoured and with overwhelming strength, Mathieu would constantly advance closer to his foe while continuing to attack. If Cassie tried to move backwards, Mathieu would follow.

His leg was in pain from the previous burn as his armour had suffered under Cassie's blade. A few dark marks could be seen by his face from the force produced fire and burn marks could be seen across his left shoulder. Still, he ignored the pain and pushed on. Like a force of nature, such things would not be allowed to stop him now.

 

[Cadere]

Cadere continued onward to the exit, feeling the presence of his shuttle's pilot draw nearer all the while evading the fragments he'd pulled toward them. Dives, rolls, somersaults, wallruns, and other acrobatic feats aided the Dark Jedi in avoiding getting hit or suffering further burns. Ignoring Mathieu's low muttered words from earlier, his focus was solely on getting out.

Out of nowhere, he could feel his balance waver and gravity suddenly get heavier, feeling himself forced to the ground. It only lasted a second however but Cadere recognised the feeling of when telekinesis was being used on him. Cadere was able to recover by throwing his arms forward and achieving a frontward handspring back onto his feet, although his pace had been slowed. The Kiffar quickly went on to raise his arms up and produce an invisible telekinetic shield that protected him by halting any fragments that threatened to fall on his head in a ghostly stasis.

The sound of a humming lightsaber growing louder caught his attention, yellow eyes whipping in the direction of the sound. Catching sight of Mathieu, seconds from descending upon him, Cadere prepared to shoot the fragments he'd gathered above his head but upon hearing...

"...to the end of the Galaxy" it was the end of a sentence but it didn't take Cadere long to put together what he'd said earlier. Mathieu's determined words caused the fallen Knight to falter, lowering his guard as he felt emotions from the past stir within him. Flashes of happier memories, laughing, joking, training and fighting alongside Tynen's best friend all poured through his mind. The lava fragments dropped around him as his guard fell.

Snapping back to the present, Mathieu was now much closer to him. Barely able to react, Cadere raised his blade to defend himself only to be surprised that the Morellian wasn't aiming to be fatal. Fortunately, the Padawan's attack toward his crimson lightsaber didn't succeed in knocking his blade out of his hand thanks to the vice-like grip that the Kiffar's cybernetic arm provided for him.

Sensing the anger and dismay within the Padawan, Cadere was now forced onto the backfoot as he wrestled against his own feelings currently. The Dark Jedi's reflexes and natural agility allowed him to evade the Morellian's wild physical attacks with a boxer's finesse. Logically, he knew what he had to do, he knew that he had to raise his lightsaber and fight back but the identities of Cadere and Cas were at odds deep within. Cas refused to fight his best friend, all the while Cadere knew to defend himself and to continue fighting.

Cadere would switch to Shien in case Mathieu would use his lightsaber to attack instead of his fists. Eventually, the Morellian would have backed the Kiffar all the way out of the vault and into the valley - the heat outside immediately warmed up the interior of Cadere's mask and his garments began to heat up. The sounds of volcano eruptions in the distance smothered the ambient lightsaber hums and the grunts and panting of both fighters.

"Enough!" Cadere snapped as he planted both hands on his lightsaber and swung his blade diagonally upward toward Mathieu's upper torso before following up on the attack with a downward diagonal strike in the opposite direction, then shooting a knee toward the side of Mathieu's torso, toward the exposed part between the chest and groin plate. Hurling both attacks in quick succession, Cadere followed it with a spinning backflip as to avoid any kind of rebuttal from Brion.

Mathieu Brion

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Reunion​

Location: Oricon
Notable Equipment: Jedi armour, other items
Tags: Cadere

---​

As a seasoned warrior, Mathieu knew what was going on. Cassie was letting his brute of a friend tire himself out whilst he bided his time, evading attacks but offering minimal resistance otherwise. But even then, the large Morellian continued the onslaught. It was not for the right reasons, however. His stamina was good and he had conserved his energy relatively well so far. But he kept attacking because his fallen friend needed to be beaten and incapacitated. He pushed on because of his drive to defeat his old friend. In a more centred state, he would most likely have been more reserved. Still, going on the offence, Mathieu was a surprisingly fierce foe considering his usually rather defensive nature. Instead of using his strength to fend off attacks, it was now employed to overpower defences and to bash through guards. It was smart of Cassie to focus on evading the attacks rather than blocking them outright. Annoyingly, not a single attack seemed to land.

But - Mathieu's offensive was, naturally, not quite as well trained as his defence. Brute strength and experience would only take him so far. Eventually, he slipped up and tried to punch Cassie in the face with his sabre-wielding hand, consequently lowering his guard enough to allow the crimson blade to swing at him from an awkward angle. Quickly, he stopped the attack in its tracks to defend against the blade and only narrowly managed to put his own blade in between himself and the attacking one. Still, with his disadvantageous position, Mathieu was forced to take a step back as Cassie's well positioned blade pushed against his own.

The follow-up attack came quickly. Mathieu, still poorly positioned to defend against it only barely managed to block the second attack and once more, he was forced back - this time turning roughly 360 degrees as he allowed his attackers force to help add to his momentum for a somewhat quick turn. Just as he would face his opponent once more, the Kiffar had closed the distance to knee him at an unusually high point right beneath the chest plate which only seemed more unlikely considering their difference in height. Still, the attacker had the element of surprise and was quite acrobatic as well.

When the Jedi let out a pained grunt from the attack and pain coursed through his core, he had already initiated his counter attack. The most obvious part of the counter was a high swing with his blue blade, threatening to cut a standing or backflipping foe in half. The less obvious part of the counter was his free hand reaching for Cassie's ankle. If he succeeded in grabbing it, Mathieu would then proceed to launch the lighter fighter at a stockier tree trunk nearby followed by throwing his lightsabre at him.

Regardless of whether the lightsabre hit or miss its mark, his eyes would be draw to the sky. Barely visible from underneath the trees, a familiar shuttle could be seen approaching rapidly whilst opening fire on another ship of a similar type - most likely Cassie's pickup. It seemed like Chaussidier had realised that something wasn't right and sent an extraction team, and now it was starting to engage the dark sider's extraction team. Instead of focusing on how to leave, his focus shifted back to Cassie. Mathieu's angered yet hurt stare lingered on the emotionless mask of his opponent. He allowed silence to linger as he clenched his jaw. But as time passed, he found himself rebalancing, cooling down and centring himself. Peace was still out of reach but it allowed him to be less raw and more focused.

"The Admiral will just keep sending more reinforcements. More troops. More fighters." he shouted as best he could to allow his voice to carry despite of the volcanic eruptions and strong winds. Wounded both physically and mentally and with a tired voice, it was a hard task. A sense of finality could be heard as he continued "I am bringing you back to the light. To your Master and your Padawan. To your family!" With that, he started moving closer to the fallen Jedi. To his fallen friend. Mathieu had taken a beating and he had landed some good hits as well. He was tired and weary. But if he needed to continue in order to make it all right again, he was able and willing to keep pushing. He was banging his head against a wall, confident that it would eventually budge.

 

[Cadere]

Cadere sensed the immediate danger to his well-being, throwing his weapon arm over his shoulder Cadere blocked the Padawan's high swing. The Dark Jedi would give Mathieu his due, the Morellian managed to catch him off guard with a grab to his ankle. The Kiffar felt his entire body tug within Mathieu's grip before sudden release before experiencing his body sailing through the air.

Catching himself, Eleven's body twisted and he positioned his body to where he would land against the tree he was headed toward. As his soles hit the tree bark, his knees bent before he slid down it and onto his feet, simultaneously batting away the lightsaber that was sent his way just before summoning the same blade into his right hand with the Force. Cadere felt his pilot's presence had grown stronger, meaning that he was here - the sound of the shuttle's engine only served to prove it.

For a second, his attention was focused on his extraction as it was attacked by, what he gathered, was Mathieu's support. Cadere wasn't worried. Returning his focus to the Morellian that stood ahead of him, he listened to Mathieu's ignorant words born of confidence and returned it with a low, quiet chuckle. "No, Mathieu." Cadere responded, extinguishing the Padawan's lightsaber and tossing it back to him "You won't." Mathieu was beginning to grow tired, he could sense it, but so was he. Fortunately the Dark side served to strengthen him, to keep him going. Not only that, but he had something to keep the Padawan at bay.

As if right on queue, two figures clad in organic black armor carrying an electrostaff and hammer had landed on either side of him, mere seconds before the sound of Cadere's extraction shuttle exploding from destruction. Insatious had ordered them to guard Cadere, and guard him they would - until death. "Nothing's going to stop me from what doing what I need to do. Not you, not anyone." With a nod of his head, Cadere ordered the Death Soldiers to attack Mathieu.

The two charged at him, with one sprinting and the other leaping toward him in a Force bound. As they charged toward him, Cadere's arm stretched forward and he began invading the young man's once more - implementing horrific images to throw him off his game. He hated adopting his Master's tactics, but Mathieu needed to learn not to follow him. With the grounded Death Soldier attacking the Padawan from the front, the airborne Soldier landed behind and began attacking from behind. Mentally, the Dark Jedi ordered the Death Soldiers not to kill Mathieu or seriously maim him - but everything else was fair game.

Working in unison, the Death Soldiers attacked from every angle, striking at Mathieu's limbs, joints and pressure points with their electrified weaponry. With the Death Squad's physiology, he didn't care whether they lived or died but Cadere was confident they'd hold the Morellian off long enough for Cadere to leave. Without staying to watch, the Dark Jedi spun on his heel and made his way to leave the valley, calling for a second transport to come and pick him up as he did so.

Mathieu Brion