Jedi X

Within the abandoned archives of the Conclave of Haruun Kal sits a small holocron fashioned in Electrum and Kyber upon a solemn table, an almost natural presence emanating from its warm and embracing presence. Within its recordings, it presents its self as a youthful Togruta, twin tonfas nestled upon her hips and the Je'daii Ranger star upon her vestige. Activating It will cause the visage to appear and speak: The Triumvirate Arcana A Study and Acknowledgment of The Force and the Sentient Aspect by Kari Koi - Je'daii Ranger Constructs of the Natural Force The Force, in its very nature, is unaligned and harmonic, neither dark nor light by Galactic Standards in its endeavor of life and existence. For Light and Dark is a concept created by sentience and morality. No. In its barest, primitive form, the Force is Life. For the fauna may kill out of necessity of survival, or in the same breath, give its life to protect that of its cub. Only through the constructs of the sentient mind has morality based good and evil as two sides of the same coin, forever separating the two and knocking the Galaxy into chaos and division, and shifting the ecosystem of the Force into an irreversible imbalance. The term balance, as well as Lights and Dark, are aspects created by the sentient mind. For without sentience, Life and the Force, cannot be defined outside the natural realm. Intertwined and connected, it is birth through death, and rebirth. A never ending cycle that holds very little purpose outside its natural order. Each being, though connected, yearns for life until death beacons it. There is no malevolence. There is no intent. It simple is, both in the Living Force and in the Cosmic Force. The Living Force, as well as the Cosmic Force, together create what we call the Unifying Force, or the Natural Force. Life passing into Death feed the well that is the Cosmic Force, each adding to the overall will of the Force for continuation of the cycle, and those beings born from the Cosmic Force rebirth the life within the Living Force create the continuation and bond the two together as the Unified Will of the Force, the Unifying Force. It is the thirst for life that bind and birth such a bond that transcends concepts such as time, space, and existence. It connects everything, from the speckles of dust that blows upon the wind to the rage of the Rancor defending and feeding its young. For the Force is Life. And in its unbridled presence, the Natural Force continues peacefully and harmonic. But sentience has added another aspect to the Force, whether intentional or not, a plague upon the Natural and Unified Force. The Darkside. A plague upon the natural and unified order, it corrupts and bring imbalance to the Force. For sentience is a will that transgresses with its own will, and with sentience, the will becomes that of the individual. Sentients are counterproductive, preferring their own against that of the natural will, coming with self awareness and an all consuming thirst. Where the fauna are in tune with nature, sentient beings have their own nature, filled with emotion and intent. And like a cancer, they spread their intent against the Force, or seek to bend the Force to their own. Since the discovery and understanding of the Force, this has always been the case. Some attune themselves to its will, but far too many seek to control it. Add in the trials of Life, and you will see and understand why so many do. For with the self awareness, emotions become more powerful than logical thought. And as the Force becomes corrupted in those who are sensitive to it, it easily corrupts those, and spreading upon the Unified Force as a whole. It is a lesson that first began with my Order, and a lesson I learnt across numerous lifetimes. Self awareness does not always warrant superiority. The Jedi and the Light What first began with my Order has split the Unified Force into four different aspects, albeit three of the four remain in a uneasy alliance. For the Jedi, the descended Order of my own, the Je'daii, continue to study and gain the enlightenment we originally sought with the Unified Force. It requires a lifetime of training and better understanding to truly reach what we found so easily. But with the Sentience aspect, a lifetime is the only true path. For on a Galactic Scale, a lifetime can seem so insignificant, but for the Sentient, it is everything. Only through devotion of this act, can its true understanding be attained. But like my Order, The Jedi have found and have faced the devastation we found for ourselves. Very few can service for the Light through their entire lives, leaving those who fall, either condemned forever or a lesson that leaves scars upon the soul. And yet, even the most devoted can easily be blinded, making such falls even more sufferable. For a sentient to truly bind themselves to the will of the Force, they have to strip themselves of their individuality, a task deemed near impossible for most. Only then, can the will of the Force be truly enlightened. The Fallen Jedi For most Jedi, falling isn't a question of if, but when. And when a Jedi does fall, most often then not, they cause immense pain and devastation. Some realize the truth of their individuality and walk away, self imposing exile or simply disappearing. Some, like most Grey Jedi, simply find a different means of serving wherever the Force takes them. Then there are other, those who stumble or even fall into the Darkside through moments of strong emotion or succumb to their individuality. These Jedi become known as Dark Jedi and usually seek out the Darkside and the Masters of its plague against the Unified Force, an Order forged from those who were banished by my Order and those who followed it; the Sith. The deeper the fall, the more likely they are to seek out the Sith, just as my own sister did when she sought to rebirth me. But until they have found the Sith, they are not completely lost to the Light. They lose sight of the Light, but cannot wield the Darkside either. Only within the ranks of the Sith can they truly blind themselves to the will of the Force, presenting the option to redeemed these fallen souls. And the most important aspect to remember is this: Not all who serve the Light are capable of giving up their individuality. This is the common reasoning behind falls. Whether it be emotions, repetition, or even disagreement, all hope is not lost. And this most important aspect is the path for redemption. But neither can be forced upon them, and if redemption leaves no other alternative, death or imprisonment must become it for these lost souls. If they are left to live freely, they will eventually become Sith, and with more Sith to aid the corruption of the Force, the stronger this disease will become. The Sith and the Darkness What began with my Order now ends us here, in the darkest corners of the sentience we present. Whether fallen Jedi amongst their ranks, or born into them, these Sith bring the destruction of the Unified Force. They claim to seek their individuality, but the truth is much deeper and darker than such a claim. No. What they seek is something they have yet to realize or understand. They seek destruction of Life. Blinded by the corruption of their own reliance on emotions and individuality, they poison and corrupt the Force, exerting their will upon it and everything it connects to. Life becomes corrupted. Flora and fauna become poisoned by it. And the deeper they delve into the Darkened Abyss, the deeper their corruption grows and the more it spreads. What was once natural and harmonic is now unnatural and chaotic. And the more the Darkside spreads, the more it's intent does. Wherever it is found, chaos and strife will be abundant. And it's cycle will only continue, an unstoppable will until it trangresses completely and snuffs Life from existence. For this is the truth of the Darkside. It is the opposite of the Unified Force. It seeks to kill the very host it inhabits, and in doing so, fails to see that it will destroy it's self. The path of the Sith is absolute. It is condemned the moment it is started. And once began, there is no plausible redemption, for the corruption is too great and the individuality is lost to another. Ending Notes Though I have lived three lifetimes, two as a Jedi and in my final, as a Je'daii, I have seen the rise and fall of many Jedi and Sith. My own story is one of transgression, chaos, greed, and desire. To aid in the prevention of more following those who both murdered and rebirth me with darkened hearts and ill intent, I leave behind these collected notes and thoughts within this holocron for the Jedi who follow after my departure for my own exile. Know this, Protector of Life, individuality is a construct to impose a will of our own as sentients. We are no more infallible nor superior than any fauna that we feast upon, just as they feast upon the fauna and flora that nourishes them. Learn this lesson well, or eventually become the thing you sought to stand against. For now, I seek exile and peace. To walk away from this repetition of War and Darkness in search of truer understanding. Three lifetimes of it has left my soul a weary one. I would say that you are welcomed to follow, but I can neither turn back now no more than you can follow and not spread this knowledge. Though I may return one day, the Force willing, I am unsure. For now… Farewell traveler. May the Force be with you…. The holocron's recorder stops playing, the nestled presence within fading into the nether, leaving behind the realm it lit just moments before. There's a lingering mixture of emotions such as hope, compassion, sadness,and even a hint of peace. And placed upon the table by the holocron is the Togruta's Tonfas. Whoever she was, she left behind everything she owned as an individual. Even her Je'daii Ranger's Star, still encrusted with layers of dirt and blood, all set aside as if she shed everything about her.

Kari couldn't help but burst into a chuckling fit as the girl revealed her intent, patting her leg and nearly knocking over her cup from the notion. This girl had came to a Jedi Temple in search of the eternal Jedi and Sith conflict? Believing that the Jedi would even house such knowledge in such a place. Gaining her composure, Kari sat back upright, her legs still crossed, as she wiped tears from her eyes. "Forgive me little one. I do not laugh at you..." Kari spoke, a hint of laughter in her voice before she cleared her throat and continued. "But do you really believe the Jedi would house such knowledge here? That the Sith would house such knowledge at their ancient Academies? Both fear the knowledge of each other to ever house such things, let alone keep it historically accurate." "But I feel your pain. It was a lesson that I too had to learn on my own, and is one I am still learning. After all, though I was a Jedi Padawan once upon a time, the man I thought to be my Master was a Sith that managed to infiltrate the Jedi Order and used me to nearly destroy the Temple at Gala." When Kari spoke the second time, her tone was regretful, almost sad, and held a sorrowful seriousness in it. Even by reading her body movements and gazing at her eyes, once could clearly see it. And though it was a pain she had nearly rid herself of, the occasional thought still brought up the painful scars it left upon her soul, especially where it concerned Lusef and his training. She was just thankful that she had finally laid to rest the part that drove her family apart. "As for the Jedi, there are many incarnations. Some are true to the name and title, others who stray for the sake of their own crusade, and a few who walk finely upon the edge of the light, tempting themselves with the darkness they choose to fight. It has been this way for millennia, and will likely be that way for millennia to come." Kari shifted her gaze toward Nia inquisitively. "What happened to shake your faith, if you don't mind me asking?"

Kari's brow furrowed briefly as the girl spoke, the Togruta's mind falling upon caution. "And what knowledge do you seek in old ruins that you cannot find in populated Temples?" Kari could sense the girl's troubles, but digging around in old Temples such as this one usually bore darker intents. As she poured herself another glass of water, offering to do the same for Nia, she found herself curious. The girl did not seem nefarious or malicious, but why would someone attuned to the Force be creeping around old temples when access was so much easier to be granted at Felucia. Perhaps something happened to the girl? Or someone was forcing her to find something unknown? Kari didn't want to jump to conclusions just yet. "I'll make you a deal little one." Kari spoke after she took a sip and set her cup aside. "Tell me what it is you are searching for, and I will gladly aid you. I know this old Temple like I know the ground beneath my feet, and I can likely point you clearly to what you seek."

Kari chuckled softly with a smile at the girl's questions, feeling her reluctance to trust. Whatever she had gone through, it made her very wary of others. "It is hard to explain what I am." Kari spoke, stopping mid chew to remember her days here at Haruun Kal. "I was once an Adept here at the Temple, though that was many years ago." Kari remained in silence as she finished her meal, her gaze not wavery from the temple as she finished, as if she was lost in deep thoughtful memories here within. As she finished the meat, she poured a glass of water and washed what remained down before her gaze shifted back to Nia. "I was a Jedi once, twice even." Kari spoke with a chuckle. "But now I am neither Jedi nor Sith, both philosophies trivial and incorrect to me. I walk alone, letting the Force be my guide, finding its balance within myself." Pouring water into the second glass, Kari offered it to Nia. "And what of you, young one? What drives you to visit abandoned Temples?"

"No, child." Kari responded, her voice soft as a subtle chuckle erupted from her lips. Slicing the meat near the bottom, she turned and placed it over the fire, the fire briefly picking up as the meat dripped over it. She smiled and turned toward the newcomer, a being of an aquatic species she had seen before, but never knew the name of. "Come, sit. Are you hungry?" Kari motioned to a small makeshift table with beaten cushions surrounding it just on the other side of the fire pit near the entrance of the tent before plopping down across a few as she laid across them. "Forgive my intrusion earlier." Kari spoke apologetically, the Togruta's eyes meeting that of the young Nautolan with kindness. "I felt your presence upon the Force, and I grew curious as to why you have come so far into the Wilds." Kari watched attentively, curious as to what the girl would say and how she would respond. She had already felt her timidness, her caution. So Kari remained distant, letting the girl come to her. Hearing the sizzling of the meat, and smelling the aroma of the spices upon it, Kari reached out with the Force and plucked the two steaks from across the fire, pulling them toward the two and letting them settle upon the plates. Then Kari reached behind her and grabbed her flask and two cups, pouring each of them a small bit of water into each. "Perhaps you seek the Jedi?" Kari proclaimed about as much as she questioned, her cuspids tearing a small bite of meat from the bone and began to chew. Swallowing, she finished. "Or perhaps something else?"

It had been a few weeks since Kari had arrived at Haruun Kal, the Togruta Je'daii having long set up her encampment inside the Conclave's Courtyard, near its outer entrance. This was where it all began, where her training started, where the point of this life had taken its singular path that led to her standing upon its soil once more. Kari stood in its halls, her bare feet cold against the dusty durasteel halls. So much had changed in her life over the last decade, yet this place abandoned and left empty had only remained as it was, preserved by the nature that had reclaimed it in it's own. Her purpose for coming here was of a different nature, wounds left by her previously unnatural existence. Yet, if there was one here, she was blind to it. For all that remained of her here was mere memories of her days as an Adept to the Jedi Order, a hopeful with no Master until the day that Lusef Aryan came into these halls and plucked her from it. Running her hand against a stuck door, she placed her forehead upon it, gazing down at the crowbar still laying where she sat that day. It seemed a lifetime ago. Just as she smiled, a clutter of noises ran out as Ghost rounded the corner, bumping into some old container bins and knocking them over. Her aura went on alert in the moment, but she shook her head at the T3's clumsiness. So much the two shared, over two lifetimes, maybe three now as she glared down at her original form and the orange skin she remembered so well. Tori's treachery may have been in good intentions, but she was thankful to be back in her own form, feeling whole again, complete even. Grabbing her cloak, she adorned it and began her trek back outside the ruined Conclave. As she exited, she gazed up at the setting sun, wondering if she would find Gala exactly the same, the wounds in the Force that Tori created closed now that Kari was whole again. She could only hope. Signaling Ghost to follow, she made her way to her tent and began starting a small fire using kindling she had gathered. But as she started the fire and began preparing the meat, something felt aloft in the distance. She felt a presence approaching, one of kinship and confusion. Reaching out into the Force, Kari cautiously brushed @Nia Doarr's mind. "Welcome"

The next few days for Kari went by like a passing Mynock. She spent most of it cleaning and dusting the old hut, tossing out the cages that had been most of her pain, and over all tidying up her old homestead. There were moments when memories flooded back, causing tears to form and flow, but for the general time spent, her memories were of her childhood and the good moments she remembered, however few they were. And with each passing evening, Kari made the small trek to where Ban had stationed himself and left a meal for her companion whether he ate it or not. But as the third day came, Kari stood outside in the sun, her bare feet dug into the sand as she gazed at the finished product. Wiping the sweat from her brow, she smiled. The old hut looked livable again, as if she had fixed it up to stay. Yet, that was not the case. She simply wanted it to remain, just as she would in spirit. Taking a drink of water, she sighed. For the first time in a long time, she felt no pain, no anger, no imbalance. It was almost as if the Force had willed her life to this very moment, and she smiled at the thought. Gathering her things, and loading them aboard her ship, she made a small detour to Ban one last time before she would leave, if only to say goodbye. "Ban." She yelled as she made her approach. "Just wanted to say farewell my friend and goodluck. Think I'm going to head to Haruun Kal next, just to make sure there isn't any residual effects lingering there as well. If not, I'll head to the Temple at Gala then. If you ever need anything, do not hesitate to hit up my comm. I owe you more than you know." She paused, letting his words reach her from afar, before she turned and departed. It was a casual departure, almost as if a weight had been lifted to never return, and the walk back was one of the few enjoyable walks she had had in many years. But as she grew near her ship, a sudden sadness rushed over her and she gazed back briefly in Ban's direction. In truth, she had grew a sense of reliance and attachment to the human, something she hadn't done in many years. Turning away, she climbed aboard her ship and in minutes, blasted away from Shili into space and then hyperspace. Next stop would be Haruun Kal.

Kari's eyes fluttered as she smiled and gave an approving nod, her lekku shifted against her vestiage. In truth, she had half expected his answer, especially given what she had just gone through and how much aid he had truly given. Reaching into the satchel she had gather from her former host, she tossed a cred stick in his direction with more than enough compensation for the job he had done. He had deserved more than she could offer, so she did not worry about what part of it belong to her. "I can do that, or you can take Tori's ship as a bonus. It lays just on the other side of the ridge north of here, maybe an hour walk at best." She spoke with a unhindered smile, a sense of balance having settled across her soul since her form returned. "But if you decide to take it, I think I will stay here a few more days and leave this chapter of my life behind me on a good note thanks to your aid, even if you feel it isn't deserved, my friend." With that said, Kari took another bite and grabbed the flask of water laying near her thigh. ((I've never really described Tori's ship or named it, so have at it.))

Kari smiled. She hadn't forgotten her promise, and with a nod, she answered his question without a word as her canine cuspids tore a fresh piece of meat from her own stick, her gaze staring out into the vast void above them. Shili had always held a semblance to her state of mind when it came to her thoughts and plans, letting nature take its course and guide her to where she was meant to be. But now, back in her own skin, she silently questioned its symbolism. Scrunching her toes in the dirty beneath her feet, she pondered his question. "I honestly haven't really thought about it in truth. With Tori's programming of Ghost and her plans here, I figured it would end here." Kari began to speak as she swallowed her bite, her gaze focusing upon the sky. "But given what happened here, and the wound I produced during birth, I'm wondering if there are other places disturbed by me." Kari let her words linger. Tori's ritual here to bring her back had started this all, but Kari had visited many places during her second life and it stood to reason places that held significant attachments to her could have also been effected, which made her mind wander to Gala, the place where her mind literally broke during her confrontation with Faust. Or perhaps her tutelage as a youngling on Haruun Kal. Both could very well have remnants of the wound that she was. Perhaps not as strong as Shili, if at all, but it wouldn't hurt to investigate. Her gaze shifted back to Ban. "I was raised at Haruun Kal as a Youngling after the death of Angela." Kari spoke, taking a sip of water to moisten the dryness of her mouth. "But Gala was where my guidance under Faust boiled over and I lost myself. Either would make a good place to start investigating, if you're still willing to aid me farther." Kari was leaving the choice up to him if he did intend to aid her a little more.

When Ban began to stir, Kari was gazing up toward the stars, a serene gaze glazing over her eyes as she sighed and looked over toward him. It was true. She felt complete again, whole, no longer an abomination condemned due to her sister's actions. So when she smiled, handing him some meat that had been broiled over the fire, it was genuine. She may have not fully understood why she still lived or how her true form had been restored, but here in this moment, none of it matter. "I'm better. Thanks for asking." Kari replied to his question, an awkward uneasiness briefly settling over her at what he saw. "I apologize for everything that happened. I didn't know that Ventr... Tori held such power, nor of her plans down there. I should have know the dangers ahead of us when I led you here." Yet, despite her forward apology and the sincerity behind it, a part of the Togruta was happy that he had been there. For if he hadn't, she could have lost herself eternally, being reborn as many times as Tori planned until it was finally gotten right, countless souls lost to her sacrifices. But now, everything had returned to it's natural order and her homeworld had found its balance again. And for that, she was forever grateful.

Kari wept, knowing that in Tori's darkened heart, that her family was eternally lost. Tori had corrupted their souls, twisted them into darkness, and because of that, they were lost to its chaos. This broke Kari's heart more than anything. But Tori had chosen this path, walked it with absolute disregard, and because of it, she condemned them, and Kari only survived by allowing them to their fate. Such was the the price they had to pay to the natural order of the Force. But why was she spared? Kari had been willing to pay the price herself even though, like her mother, Kari did not ask for Tori or Angela to make such travesties in her name. So why did she still live and breath? This puzzled Kari in ways that even she could not comprehend. Wiping the tears from her eyes, feeling a brief hand upon her shoulder before it disappeared with Ban's fate into unconsciousness, Kari looked back with a chuckle at his snoring form. He didn't even know her, and yet, her fought for her when she was all but lost in her memories. Truly, there were good people out there in the Galaxy, and it gave her the feeling of hope like none had ever had before. Rising, she shook a little bit with trembles as she got used to her new form, or rather, her original one. But she managed and was soon sitting at the small pool at the cavern's center, looking at the moon filled sky reflecting in the water as much as her own, not having seen this face in many years, almost seventy in fact. Taking her hands, she palmed some of its water out and drank, feeling it's cool touch flow down her parched throat, it being a weird feeling to be alive in her own form again, even her tastebuds different. And when she was done with the moment, and her confusion passed, she gathered her things including her sister's momento, the Sith Mask Ventra had worn for years before she walked over and stood over Ban with a smile. When Ban had regained himself, and awoke from his deep sleep, he would find himself and Kari back out on the plains, Kari enjoying tastes from her homeworld through her own form around a small lit campfire, the smell of roasting flesh seared on a small metal rod. If he had any questions, Kari would gladly answer. After what he had done, he deserved them. Or he could enjoy her cooking, a treat in an attempt to repay a debt she felt she owed. But until he did awake, Kari sat in silence, taking in the moment and pondering on why and how she survived.

Kari could feel Tori's power coursing through her soul, through Angela's soul, through all of their souls. Through Tori, they had all became connected, and in that moment, Kari held a revelation of clarity. She could see everything, from Angela's intent and broken heart, to Lynn's own pain and regret for what she had done, and even Tori's own hate filled and misguided deeds to resurrect and restore the family she had always believe should have existed. Fueled by the moonlight upon the nexus, and their souls hovering above their forms, Kari felt and knew all as Tori began her final preparations. With a humbled sigh, Kari closed her eyes. Tori may have knew how to wield the power of the nexus, the darkness created by the wound fueling it farther in its despair. But Kari could see the truth behind the wound as clearly as if she had created it and understood her role as her mind melded with each. "Róa Storminn" Kari's voice spoke as her form stood up against Tori's pull. "Láttu náttúruna eins og hún var." Her voice echoing of the language of Tori's knowledge as Kari used the wound created by her birth to counteract her sister's own. There was no more hate, no more pain, nor pity or endearment with her ghostly gaze as Kari gazed upon her sister. Only the gaze of neutrality, of knowing the natural balance and the way things should be stared back at Tori through Kari's eyes and in that moment, Tori knew. Tori released her grip upon the otherworld, turning her plight one last time upon her sister in a last ditched effort to bring her dream to fruition. But it was in that moment that Tori sealed her fate, Kari not even activating her blade in retaliation as Tori's red blade found the Tonfa's guards deflecting her kinetic attacks as Kari stood there. Slowly the nexus began to grow unstable, the price of the darkness fueling it no longer capable of feeding off Kari's emotions, and turned its attention to the only darkness that remained to sustain it. And though understanding filled her heart, Kari still wept as the nexus began to attack her sister, using the very same methods Tori had used against Kari as it prayed upon Tori's own. Visions of Tori's life began playing upon the mist, from her fall after Kari's death in search of a means to restore her sister, to her delving deeper when Kari killed Angela, to here and now as Tori viewed Kari's act of betrayal. And in her final moments of despair, Tori's final attempt to reach out to feel her sister's touch one last time as Lynn and Angela's forms lept to devour what remained of her darkened soul as the nexus claimed her as it's own, sending a wave of energy that resounded in all directions and leveling even Kari and closing the wound that once resided within it. Darkness claimed all as the moon above eclipsed, and when Kari stood up, igniting her blade to see, she stood in disbelief. Kari knew that when Tori fell to the darkness of the Nexus, her own fate would be sealed with the destruction of the form she had been imprisoned within, effectively sealing the wound as well. But as the indigo hue enlightened the area, she found her own form whole, flesh and bone once again after nearly a century in rot, her organs functioning as she could feel her heart beat and her lungs breath as she gazed to where her family was last seen, only dust and cloth remaining. Walking up to the pile of dust and cloth, Kari dropped her Tonfas to the ground and hit her knees in tears, the only sounds echoing throughout the cavern were drops of water and her wails as she finally let herself weep. ((Shout out to @Ban Ulfson for this amazing development as well as the idea behind this final post to end Tori's reign of terror upon her sister. Finally, after a decade, this chapter of Kari's life has closed.))

Nature... At its primordial core, Nature was beastial, wild and untamed, neither dark nor light, balanced and intertwined by life and death. And Kari was stuck between both, neither dead nor alive, neither light nor dark, beastial, driven only by her primordial nature as her gaze found its self fixated upon Tori and the crimes she had committed both against their family, herself, and the Nexus which fed them. The Force had weighed her heart and found her severely wanting, Kari's soul there to collect Tori's toll after finally being freed from the prison Tori now inhabited. And yet Ban defended Tori, Kari's glowing gaze shifting from her sister's toward his own with a beastial snarl. She had corrupted the Force, twisted its currents and bound her soul in such an unnatural way that it wounded the Force its self and left it bleeding. And he defended this? Kari's soul could not believe this. Tori had to be punished. The natural order demanded it, entrusting her with the price Tori would pay for such heresy. Even as the indigo and crimson blades scrapped against each other in the struggle of the two Togrutas, Kari's focus solely fell upon Ban in this moment of disbelief. And it was because of this, that Tori managed to land a blow that sent Kari sliding backwards into a stooping slide as she grasped at the hole where her ribs once were. Kari snarled again, standing and flipping toward Tori with a solid kick from her position as the blades struck and intertwined on multiple occasions, Kari's plight relentless as she turned a deaf ear to Ban's words. Blow after blow would land, sparks erupting about like the celebration of Yavin's Day, when the Rebel Alliance managed to defeat the Empire nearly two centuries before, as Kari vowed to finish Tori here and now, her crimes unforgivable and knowing she would never stop no matter how many times she chose to overlook her out of love. And once Tori had met her end, Kari, finally, could be granted the peace she so desperately desired and return to the Force and its eternal embrace. It had to be done. There was no other way. To close this wound, to restore the balance of nature here, Tori had to answer. And despite Tori's attempt to defend herself and stave off her sister, Kari proved to be the better as with a final swing, cleave off her left arm and leg, leaving Tori at Kari's mercy. And in that moment, Kari would not give her any. "Kari, stop!" Angela cried out just as Kari brought her blade up for the final blow. "She did this for you, for us. Mother always blamed us for his actions, blamed us for her misery. Don't you remember?" Kari lowered her blade and deactivated it upon hearing her sister's voice, feeling the true presence of the youngest sibling within the corpse behind her, feeling her grasp at her legs. "I am as guilty as she is, both of us choosing to give our family a second chance. It was a part of my soul that was used in the ritual, a part I gave gladly so that we would be whole again." Angela's hands grabbed even tighter as she ached to climb Kari's form just to reach her face. "We didn't anticipate what it would do to me, so if she is to blame, then so am I." Kari bent down, falling to both knees as her hands cupped Angela's face as Kari's soul began to ache knowing this. They should have known better, they should have left well enough alone, Tori especially because Angela could not touch the Force like she and Kari could. There were some things even the Sith knew better than to delve into, equivalent exchange being too heavy a price for anyone to pay, and this cost Angela a part of her own soul, the part that was capable of love and endearment. It was all beginning to make sense now, and in that brief moment, Kari wanted to forgive. "Angela" Kari cried out, embracing her sister for the first time since she slew her so many years ago, the shimmering of Kari's soul illuminating outside the leathered form of her true corpse as tears flowed from her face. And in that brief moment, Kari turned to reach for Tori too, only to see her sister laying there at her feet as the moon encompassed Kari's form near the pool. "Tori? Nooooooo!" "Vekjið móður og endurfæðist á ný og látum okkur endurfæðast í gegnum ykkur." Spoke Tori as she grasped at their souls, the wound behind them ebbing by the moon's flow. "Láttu vilja minn ganga í gegnum sálir okkar." ((5)) Great spar.... I've really enjoyed this despite the fact that this turned really more into a plot than a spar. @Delta73 @Fieldgrey

Tori chuckled vigorously at the sight of Ban's own torment, the visual plagues of her sister's pain playing upon his own amplified by her own justification. As the two corpses retained their assualt, Tori simply watched and waited, pulling on the power of the wound, focusing her energy on what would come next. The sun had set and by now the moon began to pierce the tomb's veil, its light illuminating the mist and Kari's memories just as they began to foretell the rest. The mist began to grow even thicker, the illuminated scenes playing next the realization of Kari's past the first time, the young Togruta standing over the fallen form of Angela, a spitting image of Lynn. And then it spanned across Ventra's own as she wiped cleaned her sisters memory yet again and dropped her off at Haruun Kal as an orphan to the Jedi Order. Yet, something happened that Ventra had not planned on, the arrival of Vladimir Faust portraying himself as the Jedi Lusef Aryan, causing the Sith Master to come out of the shadows of her sister's life and be reintroduced. As the scenes of Kari's training under him began to unfold, hidden in the mist, a figure began to stir after nearly over a half a century, its brittle form leathered by it's time within the catacombs. Lifeless, it rose from its tomb, the sounds of scratching and clanking as its bones climb upright, causing even Tori to glance in its direction in wonderment just as her form stiffened in its ensnare as the mist only grew thicker. And from the shadows a raspy voice echoed.... "Seek" Tori's form floated stiffly into the air, horror filling her gaze as a flesh less hand erupted from the mist that surrounded it, causing both Angela and Lynn's forms to halt their attack on Ban and become stationary, the heavy breathing within the mist as grizzly as a beast, the power coming from it even stronger than Tori. "The" The voice from beyond snarled as Tori's form flew across the catacomb's entrance and landed with a hard thud, knocking the wind out of her as the moon's light began to pierce the thick mist surrounding the lifeless form and reveal a third Togruta in skeletal form, its eyes glowing with knowledge and rage as it stepped forward into the light. "Truth" It yelled as its hands out stretched to reclaim the tonfas that once belonged to it, igniting them upon reception as its gaze fell upon Tori. And amongst the mist, only a singular memory remained playing. It was Ban's voice echoing in the backdrop of Gala, intertwined with the memory of Aryian's own voice reaching out with the same words. And with that, Kari pulled upon the Force around her, her blades slicing Lynn and Angela down a second time as she charged toward Tori, the wound in the background crackling with kinetic energy. As Kari's blades met Tori's, sparks erupting with dramatic flare as they intertwined each other's ensnare, Kari's true face reached out to Tori's. "Die." ((4))

"Look at them Kari...see them, remember who they were" Came across as whispers to Kari as she was bound within her own consciousness, there to be heard, but not loud enough to drown out the hauntings of her own mine and noticed. For Kari was reliving her own past lives continuously, without Tori's compassion nor remorse, the Sith Master determined to hold her sister off just long enough to complete the ritual. For once the moon rose center, it's light falling upon the pool, the wound would empower Tori's spirit to rip Kari from her form and replace it with Lynn, memories made to grant a better life for the three that would grow within it's womb. All Kari could do was lay within the darkened pool, watching the memories of her past unfold, feeling the emotions within tear at her heart. She could still see and touch the face of her first Master, the stubbles upon his human face as he smiled at her, her love for him tugging at her as it shifted to her last memory of him, the report of his death splitting her heart in two, her new Master's hands more wandering than what was formal as she cried. Then she witnessed his attack on her, his jealousy, his greed, his lust as he took from her what he prized most. and then the darkness that followed, the empty void of her death and the peace that she found within it. As the battle ensued outside her mind, Tori's fogs of war left an enlightening view of Kari's mind and visions playing all around them, their point to distract him. He could see Kari's painful past being played out amidst the encircling fog as his attackers continued relentlessly, unhindered by mortal restraints and empowered by Tori and the wound. and all Tori could do was smile, her attempt at prolonging the inevitable becoming apparent as a success, the last rays of the sun disappearing behind the mountains and the cave growing dim and dark outside the illuminations of the sabers and mist. There was one fatal flaw in what she was showing, even as the ritual that led to Kari's rebirth began to play... Next came Kari's rebirth, the cries and wails of the infants soul drowning out as Tori snuffed the child's soul as she called upon that of her sister's within this very cave on a night just like tonight, the full optical of the scope a rare and draining task. And then the twisting of the spirit's memories and suppressing the power that it held so that it wouldn't destroy it's creation as it was placed within the soulless form. and in a brief moment, the screams and cries return as Kari had been reborn, the tear apparent within the Force cracking as it did so. And as Kari grew, raised by her youngest sister until her death played out, it became ever apparent Tori's one fatal flaw, the wound growing as Kari's life grew harder and harder, just as her first life did. "Kari...seek the truth." The wound was not created by Tori when she rebirthed her sister. The wound it's self was Kari's own soul, and it's attachment to the place where it was reborn. Only here, in this place, would the pieces of the puzzle be put into place, and something even Faust had overlooked while here nearly a decade ago just before Kari went nuclear, the power this wound provided from two lifetimes converged into one place. Kari was the abomination, the wound upon the Force. and only she could close it. ((3))