Sight of Your Soul

[Nylea Apollodor]

Gorma-Koss, Voss
In landing sequence
Objective: Bring relief to the wounded

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---

"We'll be on the ground in a few moments. Try to stay clear from active battle to keep from being caught in the crossfire." Karl looked over to the small group of Sacred Lotus people. Doctors, guards, and apart from him one other Jedi. "Nylea, are you sure you are feeling well enough for this?"

"I am alright. It has been been multiple weeks now, Maybe there are a few traces left but it barely affects me anymore."

"If anything happens, let me know immediately and I'll be right there."

"Thanks."

Nylea calmly smiled, even if it was slightly disturbed by the thought of the situation on the planet they were about to land on. Perhaps Karl's concern wasn't completely unjustified- the Sith Poison she had been exposed to had done a number on the woman and kept her in a weakened state for some time, but she could not sit idly by as Voss had become the stage of a bloody battle. People were dying and she simply could not justify staying behind on Monastery.

The shuttle landed on the outskirts of the city of Gorma-Koss, where the center of the battle seemed to be. When the boarding ramp lowered people moved out almost instantly, carrying a wide array of equipment with which they began setting up a mobile hospital. Nylea herself quickly dashed through the crowd however, moving out to the city itself together with Karl and a number of the Lotus Guard.

[member="Darth Morbian"]

 

[Darth Morbian]

Voss.....

A world that has been an eyesore and a thorn irritating his father for years. Firstly as the, now former, homeworld of the Silver Jedi, but now as a paramilitary resistance. They were weak creatures, but tenacious. At some point his father's vast military might would see the end of the upstarts.

But for now, Sethaius was on this particular world with a personal task. His 'apprentice', a young twi'lek he'd captured during an assault on an abandoned Silver Temple, had thought herself crafty enough to escape him and return to her precious order. She fled to Voss, thinking herself so clever as to go away from the new center of Silvers space, to throw him off of her trail.

She couldn't have been more wrong.

His presence had been masked as he hunted his quarry, undetectable through the Force, difficult even for a Master to find. At least, until it was too late. Kai'eesh'Kah was with a small squad of resistance fighters, who were taking a welcome respite from combat with the TSE forced, having apparently routed their most recent assault with few casualties.

Why they hadn't known, was the troopers were ordered away by the Knight on the hunt. He wanted this kill to be his, and his alone. The lone sentry on duty did their job valiantly and dutifully. She did see the Sith Knight coming, but a moment too late. The Dark Side welled up within him suddenly, before exploding forth violently in a horrifying wave of carnage and rage. All in its path was laid to waste. Including the balcony the sentry stood upon. And the wall it was attached to. And a large portion of the roof.

There was a measure of mercy in his wrath. The calculated strike had slain a vast majority of the squad almost instantly, beneath tons of duracrete and durasteel. Only the young Jedi remained mostly unharmed.

The expression of sheer terror on her face as her captor, her torturer, her Master, stepped through the dust into view. The massive man, armored and masked, was unmistakable to the terrified twi'lek, as his malice radiated palpably off of his being.

"All of these people died.... because of you.... Be thankful I showed them a mercy I shall not extend to you with a swift end." the beast of a man spoke, the vocabulator on his helmet causing his imposing voice to distort into something straight out of nightmares.

The young Jedi knew she stood no chance. She had one remaining hand, and could not wield a saber effectively with it, and her powers could not compete with the monstrosity before her. But she had to try.

Debris began lifting off of the ground, darting through the air at Darth Morbian. He began to laugh at the woman's futile attempts, the debris either being deftly dodged, or shattering against the sheer Force of Will he was exerting.

Fatigue was her enemy as much as he was. Eventually, she ran out of room to retreat, and strength with which to heave debris with. Panting, she watched with resigned, yet fearful, acceptance, as the Sith Knight removed his helmet. "I am disappointed. You had promise. Potential. You were going to do great things. But you.... you threw it all away." Genuine remorse was upon his face, as his cold, Dark Side corrupted eyes, slowly narrowed into a piercing glare. "But the decision has been made, and this is what must be done."

Before she had a chance to plead, to attempt to parlay with her former Master, his gloved hand shot forth, bolts of Force Lightening linking his splayed fingers to her body. Pain wracked her body, as screams echoed out over the countryside. In retrospect, Sethaius was thankful he was doing this outside the city proper. Reinforcements would not be coming anytime soon for her.

As the last bit of vitality left the twi'lek's body, the Sith favoring every bit of anguish the woman was feeling, a single blaster shot rang out.

The twi'lek fell lifeless, as the power flowing from the Sith to her had stopped. A perfect hole had manifest in the Knight's chest. Turning, slowly, stunned, the Sith gazed upon a lone man. Mostly crushed beneath debris.

The soldier coughed up blood, and laughed. There was obvious signs of him struggling to reach the blaster. The man's eyes started to slowly fade, as he rasped his dying words, "'Least.... we ain't.... goin'.... 'lone...."

Sputtering, lost for words, and unable to breathe because if the gaping hole in his chest, Darth Morbian fell back against a wall. Pride brought him low.

Is.... is this how I am to die?? he mused, feeling his body weakening from the sudden blood loss.

[member="Nylea Apollodor"]​

 

[Nylea Apollodor]

The battle seemed to have quieted down, but Nylea was not yet at ease. There was something in the air, or perhaps the Force, that irked her. Among the dead bodies on the streets were a small number of people clinging to life from both Sith Empire and League of Voss, but all of them would receive the aid they needed regardless of their colors. Quickly the Lotus Guard set up stretchers and contacted the doctors they were bringing in wounded while Nylea and Karl called upon their Force Healing to tend to those in critical condition the best they could.

Yet, her focus on her connection with the Force and the man laying in front of her while she tried to bring relief to the gaping stomach wound was pierced. Something drew her mind away to another place nearby but the woman shook her head and looked to get back to what she had been doing, writing it off as the remnants of the poison she had endured acting up once more, before a Guard patted her on the shoulder and pointed to the stretcher he had set up. With a nod she helped the wounded man onto it and without delay the Guard set off, but still the feeling persisted. There had to be something, of that she was certain.

"Karl, I am moving out to-" Nylea's sentence was interrupted by the sound of what most would have attributed to an explosion, but the waves of the Force that followed were undeniable to the echani. It was an all-consuming darkness, one that immediately put her on high alert. "Stay here and help the others. I'm going to check it out."

"Nylea, wait! It's dangerou-"

"They need my help and I will not ignore it!"

This was the first time she ever went against a Jedi of a higher rank, but Nylea simply could not ignore it. The very Force compelled her. And so, off she went, running as fast as she could towards towards the beacon that drew her to itself.

In front of her was the debris of what had been a balcony, parts of the victims of the attack visible underneath. It was a painful sight but her sense of urgency rendered her unable to mourn their souls at that moment and as her eyes darted around the scene she felt the presence of only one. All the others had already been returned to the Force and all that remained was a presence drenched in the Dark side and there was no doubt it was the one who had caused this, yet this presence was also fading. Perhaps most would agrue that it was for the best that this being would meet their end here.

Nylea disagreed.

All life was worth preserving. She herself had been a victim of the all-consuming darkness and while most would have considered her a lost cause, it was the fact she was given a second chance that she was even still alive. Nobody was ever too far gone in her view, but when one is left to die they would never get that chance. The Sacred Lotus did not discriminate, they provided aid to all who needed it, and as Nylea spotted the man who was perhaps moments from death she decided that he too would be fought for. Not to bring down his enemies, but to preserve his very soul.

"Can you hear me?" The woman went down to a knee next to the man, her eyes quickly trailing towards the gaping hole in his chest. "If you can, nod. Don't speak, conserve your strength. I'm here to help." Moving to sit down on both of her knees, she went to hover her hands above the wound. As she closed her eyes and began to channel the Force once more they began to emit a soft glow, shutting out the world around her. "I tend to talk a lot to keep my focus. You don't have to reply."

[member="Darth Morbian"]

 

[Darth Morbian]

He felt her long before he saw her, her presence somehow..... off.... it was not quite Light, a strange taint coursing through her, muddling his perception of her.

His vision blurred slightly, from the mixture of exertion and blood-loss, making her shape somewhat fuzzy to his sight. A begrudged grunt was the only vocalization offered to the woman. Should she succeed in saving him, he knew he would pay a fine debt to her. He hated being in debt to any, and was always swift to balance the scales. Pride demanded it.

Pride..... isn't that what landed you here? the Epicanthix warrior mused, as he began feeling tissue stating to mend from the woman's administrations. It was this strange mixture of the Light Side of the Force entering the wound, coupled with some.... something.... about this place.... that caused a sudden rending sensation within the core of his being.

The wound, stabilized and no longer life-threatening, was not the cause of the sudden gasp of agony, as a large hand suddenly pushed the woman away. Panting, his massive form heaving from the strain, as a tremor coursed through his limbs, the Sith stared at the woman. "Your.... name...." the massive man forced the words out, breath labored. When she's likely try to talk him into healing him further, he'd adamantly refuse. "While I.... appreciate.... your efforts...." a deep, steadying breath was taken, a sharp wince from the pain of the not-quite-healed wound clear upon his face, "Something about this.... this place.... and your treatment.... causes me pain like I've never known...."

A difficult statement to believe, given the scars the man's massive form possessed, but.... this was not something physical....

[member="Nylea Apollodor"]​

 

[Nylea Apollodor]

Nylea's eyes shot open as she suddenly felt the senstation of being pushed away, surprised by the move as she was only just able to react on time and plant her hands behind her before falling backwards onto the floor. It was not a reaction she often received when helping somebody and it left her a bit bewildered, but that was quickly put to the side. She calmly got to her feet and patted her hands to her pants to get rid of the dust that had gotten on them. "My name is Nylea. I am with the Order of the Sacred Lotus, although it is rare to come across anyone who still remembers them. You are still wounded however, we can hel-"

The refusal would cut her off, to which the echani shook her head. "I apologize. I should have told you that some who stand with the Dark side feel a lot of pain when subjected to Force Healing. We have a mobile hospital set up nearby, they can help you. Let me guide you there." She walked over to him and held out her hand to help him back up to his feet. "We can also return you to Sith Empire space, or contact them to extract you if you so wish." A soft smile was drawn on her face, showing no fear or hostility.

"Nylea! Are you okay? What happened here?" Karl had come running after her and finally caught up. At first sight the Knight was worried something had happened to her but to his relief it seemed no harm had come over her.

"I found the place like this. He is the only one who made it, but he needs medical attention. We should help him get to the doctors."

"Very well. Can you stand?"

[member="Darth Morbian"]

 

[Darth Morbian]

After a moment of laboring, the massive Epicanthix slowly rose to his feet. Looking towards the man, then back to the woman, he gave a curt nod. "I will survive, thanks to your administrations." he'd state, gingerly touching the area of the wound, which was still quite red, angry, and raw. "As for the pain.... I don't believe it was as simple as the Dark reacting to the Light.... it felt...." he trailed off for a moment, starburst eyes scanning the surrounding area, unknown sensations in the periphery of his mind, before snapping his gaze back to the woman. "It felt almost familiar...." After another moment, he realized he'd not have introduced himself. He was saved by the woman, so a power-play in giving his Sith Name would have been uncalled for, but conversely, depending on how well known his family name was, it could be bad to mention the name of his father's house. "I am Sethaius. I will accompany you back to this field hospital." The trio would then leave the ruins of the structure, now his former apprentices makeshift grave.

As they traveled along, a small group of Sith Troopers, not recognizing Sethaius' without his helmet on, and identifying the two traveling with him as non-Sith, opened fire on their location. A heavy sigh was given, as crimson blade ignited. It swung sweeping arc through the air, almost lazily, catching most of the incoming projectiles and redirecting them harmlessly towards the rubble surrounding the trio. The troopers faltered, obviously confused as to how to proceed. A sharp thrust of the saber was given in the troopers direction, sending several of them flinching backwards with the unspoken threat of a painful death leveled upon them. Rifles were quickly lowered and the troop beat a hasty retreat, rather preferring to assume that saber-wielder was a Sith and not wanting to be slaughtered outright for their indiscretion.

A low puff of air, as the slight exertion caused micro-tears in the wound, some minor bleeding occurring as a result. "One should always take care to ensure the nature of their target...." he muttered, the phrase striking a deeper resonance within him as he spoke it. Why was all of this significant? And why would this Jedi attempt to heal him at all.... and more importantly, why did it hit him so hard?

[member="Nylea Apollodor"]​

 

[Nylea Apollodor]

"It is simply what we do. There is no need to thank us." Nylea smiled once again before she took a quick look around the area, nodding to herself at the conclusion she did not see anyone in the direct area. "Like I said, the place is not too far. Perhaps we can find out where the pain comes from as well. With your permission, of course." Karl in the meantime was more reserved and although he did not explicitly show it he carried a non-negligible amount of distrust and suspicion towards the man. Had it not been for the echani finding him there would have been a chance he had left him there, even if it went against what the Lotus stood for. He was dangerous, of that he was certain, and he hoped they did not have to bring him to Monastery for further treatment. Such a thing was, something he considered to be a fortunate thing, unlikely considering the fact he was able to walk.

"And I am Karl."

"Now then, shall we get you patched up, Sethaius?"

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The sound of blaster fire immediately caused the pair of Jedi to grasp their lightsabers, but it turned out such a thing was not going to be necessary. Through Sethaius' actions they retreated and nobody was harmed to Nylea's relief, even if the blazing red of the lightsaber caused her to take a step back for a quick second. It was not out of fear but looked like it was more out of reflex, but the woman had quickly shook off whatever had come over her. "Thank you. I doubt it would have ended without bloodshed otherwise." She then turned to Karl, confirming he too was unharmed. "Go on ahead so they know we are coming. We will be right there."

"Sounds like a plan."

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Not much later the duo of Nylea and Sethaius would arrive at the ship they had arrived in, with the field hospital set up in front of it. All around medical personnel were busy treating the wounds of soldiers from both sides, although they were split up into two different sections to assure nobody would bring harm to someone they considered an enemy. Guiding the man towards the section that was set up for the side of the Sith Empire a doctor was already waiting, with Karl standing beside her. "I see you can still walk, that is a good sign. I can't use the Force like these two, but I do know how to handle medical equipment. Here, sit down so I can see the wound."

[member="Darth Morbian"]

 

[Darth Morbian]

Karl was not necessarily wrong to be weary of the Sith. Had the woman not saved him, Morbian would have had no issues with slaughtering every individual, with little consideration for faction affiliation truth be told, in this medical camp mercilessly. The violent agony would have been glorious. But, he had been saved, a mortal wound that would have likely seen his lifeblood spilled fully upon the Voss soil sealed by this woman's hand. As such, until such a time that he has returned to her a favor of equivalent value, then she would be fair game when they next met after that event.

But, for now, he removed the breastplate to his armor, then bracers, before peeling down the upper-body of his under-armor. His massive torso laid bare, revealing a myriad network of scars, all of varying causes. Some were obviously wounds of war, some surgical in nature. More still, though, were horrifying tributes of torture and experimentation. As near-flawless as his face appeared, beneath the armor, where trauma was easily hidden, the man was a complete mess. Burns, be they from fire or from obvious applications of Force Lightening, wrinkled areas of his skin in angry scars. The wound in his chest was destined to be yet another addition to his vast collection. The massive man took a seat on a chair, rather than on a table, his larger form coupled with the nature of a clean front-to-back wound, would give the physician easier access to both ends of the wounds.

"The wound will likely heal in time. The Jedi did an exemplary job, for as long as I could endure." the Sith reluctantly admitted, those piercing, corrupted, eyes locked on the cool silver ones of the woman who preserved his life. "Though, your administrations will surely aid in prevention of infection." He knew the physician knew what she was going to do, but pride would not let him simply sit and let another seem like they were the one in control of the situation he was in, so long as they themselves were not their superior, which she was not.

Pride, what a fickle, obnoxious thing....

[member="Nylea Apollodor"]​

 

[Nylea Apollodor]

The doctor, much like the two Jedi who were with them, had seen many a soldier with their fair share of marks and bruises. However, none of them matched the amount of abuse Sethaius' body had endured. Still, the primary reaction was one of internal concern rather than shock. It was not a difficult thing to connect the lightsaber he carried with the scars, but no matter what the cause of them was, in the end they had not brought him here to patronize him. Had it not been out of his free will, they would not even have made him come to this place at all.

"It indeed, luckily, does not seem very severe. At least not anymore. Although from what I'm seeing, you were very fortunate to have gotten the help when you did." She took a cloth and a bottle of fluid that she subsequently opened. Letting the cloth cover the mouth she tilted it to let the fluid onto the cloth in a controlled dosage before setting it aside again. "I would recommend taking your time to let it heal, like you said. This will sting for a moment." Carefully, the cloth was put onto the wound to disinfect it. It was held there for a moment before repeating the process on the exit wound. "Unless there is any remaining internal damage, simple rest is all you will need. I would recommend staying here for the time being, we are currently in the process of getting in contact with your Empire to come extract their people."

Nylea nodded towards the doctor who began packing her items back into her backpack, getting ready to get to the next patient. "Thank you. I am glad to hear he will be alright."

"You should stay with him, in case there are any complications. I have more patients to attend to, I'm afraid, but if there is anything that requires immediate attention you should come find me."

"Understood. I will stay here," the echani responded as she turned towards Karl, "you should head back out yourself. The Guard could use your help out there."

"Perhaps I should." Karl got back on his feet and slung his backpack with first aid equipment over his shoulder, then give Sethaius a nod. "If I don't see you when I get back, have a safe trip home." With that he set off, leaving just Nylea and Sethaius, even if they were surrounded by patients and doctors.

It was then when the woman finally took the time to walk towards an empty crate. It was carefully pushed next to the Sith's chair and when it was in place she lifted herself onto it, facing away from him while she did before turning around to sit down and face him directly. Although she did not show it, the Force had continuously sent her troubles messages about the man. Deep down she knew what he was capable of, but what scared her the most was how similar he was to her past self in that regard. It was very likely he had been the one responsible for the scene in which he was found, but still Nylea had done that which was necessary to save his life. Perhaps it was a vain hope but she herself had been able to change, which was the reason she believed nobody was ever too deep to turn away from the Dark side. Despite the piercing, corrupted eyes that had locked with her own telling the story of countless deaths there was still the hope he would see the nature of his actions and change his ways.

The echani was weary even if it didn't show, but there was an aura of calm and acceptance that had been there from the moment they had met. And that aura most definitely did show, not only through the Force but through the expression on her face. Hatred wasn't fought with hatred. It was fought with kindness.

[member="Darth Morbian"]