Private The Lost City

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jungle Outfit
Weapons: Double-Bladed Lightsaber

Valery's amber eyes locked onto the silhouette of the panthac as its head began to inch into view. The way it sniffed the air, the slow and deliberate movements of its powerful body, made it clear that the predator was aware of something nearby. It hadn't spotted them yet, but it was only a matter of time.

She felt Vince shift closer again, his tension radiating through the contact of their backs. Her calm, however, remained unbroken — not out of fearlessness, but out of a well-practiced discipline. The Jedi Shadow in her thrived in moments like this, where precision and timing mattered more than raw power.

Her hand slowly moved to her belt, the subtle motion shielded from the panthac's view by her crouched position. Fingers wrapped around the hilt of her lightsaber, but she didn't ignite it yet. The snap-hiss of the blade would only provoke the creature into an immediate attack, and they needed to control this encounter as much as possible.

Turning her head slightly, Valery whispered to Vince in a voice so quiet it was barely audible over the rain, "Mantessan panthacs are territorial. It thinks we're intruding. If we attack without a plan, we risk making it more aggressive." She paused, her mind racing through possible strategies.

Valery took a deep breath, her gaze steady as the panthac's massive form fully emerged into the mouth of the cave. Its yellow eyes gleamed in the dim light, locking onto the shadows within. A low growl rumbled from its throat, the sound vibrating through the ground beneath them.

"Be ready," she whispered, the words meant to steel Vince for what was about to happen. Without breaking her composure, Valery flicked her free hand toward a loose stone at the cave's edge. The Force carried it across the ground, creating a sharp, deliberate sound that drew the panthac's attention deeper into the cave.

The predator growled louder and took a cautious step forward, its claws scraping against the stone floor. Valery tensed, her lightsaber still unlit but ready in her hand.

Any moment now, they'd have to strike.

Vince ​

 

[Vince]

The Lost City
Exploring with Valery Noble ​

A single brow slowly rose as she whispered a low, extremely low, string of words. She was bold, brazen, even. The Prince could not help but to let a smile form across his lips whilst producing a slight shake of the head in disbelief. For a brief moment, the laser sharp focus that his eyes held ceded ground to an amused glint. Then, he pushed it all to the back of his mind with the smile fading just as quickly as the amusement. They were in danger.

She whispered for him to be ready and he could feel her weight shift behind him as she reached for her weapon. There was much which he did not need to see nor hear in order to know - at least in this position. The force, however, was harder to predict. It did not require much movement and how it worked had never been part of the Royal curriculum.

The noise drew its attention away. Every advantage was important in a situation like this one. As soon as the young Royal saw its eyes shift, he fired off his blaster. The first bolt found purchase by the joint to the left forward paw whilst the second scraped by its mane. Events were transpiring quickly: By the time the first bolt had hit, the animal had already launched itself at them. With a bit of a push, Vince distanced himself from the Jedi by shuffling forth and bracing himself for impact.

Youthful, determined but fearful eyes closed shut. Clearly, he knew of the lethality of impact.

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jungle Outfit
Weapons: Double-Bladed Lightsaber


Valery's instincts snapped into sharp focus as Vince's blaster bolt found its mark. The panthac let out a furious, guttural roar, the wounded limb barely slowing its charge as it leapt forward. The jungle predator was a blur of muscle and fury, claws extended to tear into anything in its path. Time seemed to slow as Valery reacted. Her lightsaber ignited with a sharp snap-hiss, the violet blade casting an otherworldly glow against the cave walls. In a fluid motion, she surged forward, interposing herself between Vince and the beast.

The panthac's claws swiped downward, aiming for Vince, but Valery was quick to intercept with a Telekinetic burst of the Force, sending the predator flying back several feet.

"Here he comes!" she barked at Vince, her voice cutting through the chaos. Her amber eyes never left the panthac as it recoiled, snarling in frustration and pain. Its yellow eyes locked onto her now, its body coiled like a spring, ready to pounce again.

The creature lunged once more, and Valery sidestepped with practiced grace, her blade arcing in a tight slash that seared a shallow wound across its flank. From the corner of her eye, she saw Vince scrambling back to regain his footing, and she hoped he'd be able to take a few more shots as well.

The panthac wasn't relenting. It turned sharply, its massive frame deceptively agile as it rounded on Valery and Vince again. She steadied herself, her breath even despite the tension in her muscles. The predator charged, and this time, Valery reached out with her free hand again, the Force coalescing around her like an unseen tide.

With a sharp thrust of her palm, a powerful Force Push erupted outward. The panthac's momentum was halted mid-leap, its massive body hurled backward into the stone wall of the cave. The impact shook the ground beneath them, and the creature crumpled to the floor, momentarily stunned.

Vince's chance to take his shot.

Vince ​

 

[Vince]

The Lost City
Exploring with Valery Noble ​

He could feel her shuffle behind him - but the speed with which she moved was hard to truly keep up with. Soon, he found her slipping past him with a drawn sabre. Still, the attack was clearly meant for him - it was good that she produced a blast powerful enough to repel it. The Prince was not going to fire of a true volley with his ally standing right between them. Instead, he leaned to the side of the cave and took three controlled shots at it - careful to make sure that none of the bolts ever came close to her.

Even if the shots found purchase in the monstrous animal, it still found enough strength to make another leap. This time, the Jedi evaded the attack by stepping to the side. Fortunately for Vince, the beast was targeting Valery, and he was already leaning to the side, making it possible for him to avoid being hit by it as well. The young Royal hesitated to fire as it came, seeing how a missed shot could instead hit her. She, on the other hand, managed to create a grievous wound by its side.

The tight space in which they fought was dangerous in many ways. One of which was the massive beast turning around inside, accidentally managing to knock Vince's gun out of his hand with its hind leg as it turned. The Prince seemed unbothered at first as he reached for his sabre - only to find the pommel of a knife. This had never been a combat mission and the Officer's Sabre was certainly not hanging by his hip.

With knife in hand, he steadied himself for the next attack. This one, however, would be interrupted before it could present a true threat as the woman's use of the force flung the beast into the cave wall. The young Royal's stance was steady, despite the rumble that could be felt as the large animal impacted against the wall. Undeterred, he charged forth, quickly closing the small distance. Considering his large form, Vince too, moved with surprising agility as he turned to straddle the animal. With one arm wrapping around its head to adjust its position, the other shifted forth to stab it by the temple.

The execution was swift and painless - the Prince clearly knew what he was doing. His gaze rested on the beast for a time: From Val's position, it would be hard to tell if he was mourning it, praying or simply looking at what they had accomplished. Then, his eyes shifted back up to her "You saved us. Thank you." He pulled the knife out and cleaned it against the animal's fur before getting up to closing the distance to her, crouching slightly in the small cave "We hope you are free of injuries?" he said, giving her a look over.

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jungle Outfit
Weapons: Double-Bladed Lightsaber

Valery deactivated her lightsaber with a sharp hiss, the violet glow disappearing into the hilt as she watched Vince finish the fight with practiced precision. Her breath came evenly, but her muscles remained tense, her amber eyes fixed on the prince as he knelt over the fallen panthac. There was something purposeful, almost reverent, about the way he moved — not just efficient, but deliberate, as though this moment carried weight for him.

Her focus softened when he rose and approached her, his gratitude clear in his words.

"You handled yourself well," Valery said, her voice steady but warm. "I've seen plenty of people freeze in situations like that, but you stayed focused. That made the difference."

When he crouched to inspect her for injuries, Valery offered a faint, reassuring smile. "I'm fine, don't worry." She brushed a hand over her ponytail, checking for any stray dirt or debris before glancing past Vince at the now still form of the panthac.

"But thank you for checking," she added, her tone softening further. Her gaze lingered on him briefly, noting his calm demeanor despite the adrenaline that must still be coursing through him. There was something quietly admirable about his resolve, and she found herself staring just a second too long.

Straightening, she turned her attention back to the deeper recesses of the cave. She didn't sense anything else, but she also didn't feel overly comfortable anymore.

"What should we do now?"

Vince ​