Present

Caden residence, Mandalore

4 years, 1 month ABY

To Alen Li-am, terrifyingly awkward situations were some of the most odious. Danger? Tension? Negotiation? Those he could handle. But awkward, embarrassing moments of confrontation with situations that were otherwise innocuous? Nope. No sir. Absolutely not. So, when faced with the sight of his brother and Kael Dansen passed out on a couch in the study, with Xel's mouth hanging open and her head plastered to his shoulder—with her brother Clyde standing next to Alen—the veteran Jedi Padawan was reduced to a blankly staring mess of blushing human.

"Well…"

Alen's head snapped to look at a smirking Clyde.

"…at least they're still clothed."

If it was possible, Alen blushed an even deeper shade of red. "You mean…"

"What?" he interrupted with an arched eyebrow. "You were expecting me to drag him off and beat the tar outta him?"

Alen shrugged noncommittally.

Clyde just chuckled. "Who my sister spends her time with is her business." He grinned malevolently. "I just get involved if they step out of line." He nodded toward the kitchen. "Come on. I'm hungry."

"As am I," exclaimed Iola rather suddenly as she grabbed Alen from behind, causing him to yelp quietly.

Alen gently cleared his throat and remained silent as he led them away from the study, taking Iola's grasping hand and lacing his fingers through hers. She grinned against his neck, nuzzling the exposed skin there and kissing it lightly. Alen shuddered a bit and gripped her hand tighter.

Iola chuckled lightly. "You still haven't gotten used to that."

Alen leaned back against her slightly. "I'm not sure I ever want to."

She gave him a confused look.

He smirked and turned in her grip as they reached the kitchen, looping his arms around her waist and looking up into her eyes. "I'd like nothing more than to feel like I'm touching you for the first time, every time."

Iola stared at him, eyes sparkling as she grinned and leaned down to plant her lips on his.

"Ugh," Clyde groaned, "get a room."

Alen blushed a little, but turned toward the older man and gave him a snarky look. "Why don't you get a girlfriend, and then you see how it feels to be told that?"

Iola laughed as Clyde just shrugged. "Nah, I'm good thanks."

Alen arched an eyebrow at him. "Seriously? Are you sick or something?"

He shrugged as he busied himself with a container of sliced roba. "Nope. After last time, the thought just doesn't appeal to me at the moment."

Iola leaned her side against the counter, Alen holding her from behind. "Why's that?"

He smirked. "Too busy. We're running around the galaxy, tracking down criminals and conspiracies—would you really want to bring someone into all that?"

Alen frowned, but shrugged. "Fair point."

"You two were lucky enough to have found each other long before all this craziness started."

Iola smirked. "Oh, luck had nothing to do with it." She looked back and down at Alen. "This one had it all planned out, right down to the 'romantic getaway.'"

Alen grinned over her shoulder. "Couldn't very well let my little brother outpace me with the ladies, now could I?"

Clyde shot him an arched eyebrow. "Yeah, Xel doesn't really seem like the flirty type. You, on the other hand…you're this weird mix of serene respect and womanizer."

Alen rolled his eyes and released Iola to hold a hand up in defense. "I am not a womanizer, Clyde." He shrugged a little, a wry smirk playing at his lips. "I just…appreciate women." He grinned. "Very much."

Iola arched an eyebrow and crossed her arms at him. "Uh huh."

"What?" he asked innocently. "It's art appreciation, not womanizing." Alen was the first to break eye contact as his face flamed up at Iola's intense gaze.

"You're lucky I'm not the jealous type," she said, kissing the side of his forehead with a loud smack, then moving off toward the nearest 'fresher.

Alen watched her go, eyes glued to her well-proportioned form the whole time.

"How did a daft bugger like you get a woman like that wrapped around your finger?"

Alen grinned and sat at the kitchen counter, head leaning back against his laced fingers. "Very passionately."

…

2 years ago

Gray Academy, Athiss

1 year, 8 months ABY

"Did the sun come up a little brighter today, or is that just you?"

Alen grinned toothily at his brother's teasing, completely shrugging it off in favor of getting close and whispering to him. "I'm gonna do it."

Xel arched a black eyebrow. "Do what?"

"I'm gonna ask her out." He frowned a little. "Well…sort of."

Xel crossed his arms. "Sort of?"

Alen started pacing. "It's—I'm…look, I have it all planned out in my head, but you staring at me like that is making me nervous."

The younger brother chuckled lightly and shook his head. "If I'm making you nervous now, imagine when you're actually doing it."

"Well," Alen replied, "I'm not actually going to 'ask her out,' it's more like, asking her to go on a trip with me."

Xel's eyebrows hiked upward. "Already?"

Alen snorted. "Oh come on, it's not like we haven't gone off alone together before. Just not…with the express purpose of…you know."

"Actually, I don't." Xel smirked teasingly. "Please explain it to me."

Alen gave him a deadpan look. "Bite me, Xel. Bite me."

He straightened up and puffed his chest out in imitation of his brother. "In any case, as your younger yet more attractive and experienced brother, I feel the need to remind you of the dangers should you decide to pursue a more…physical relationship."

"Xel—"

"And I reserve the right to call you on and give back any and all osik thrown at me during the development of my relationship."

Alen stared at him for a second. "Okay, that's fair."

Xel laughed and smacked his brother on the back. "Relax, vod. You'll do fine. And I have absolutely no doubts about Iola's reciprocation. Just be your usual cheery, giving self, and you'll do fine."

Alen smiled and nodded. "Thanks."

"Anytime, Al'ika." He grinned as they started to walk off. "I can see it now: double date on Nar Shaddaa—oh the mayhem we'll create."

The Jedi cringed and tilted his head a bit. "Yeah, I think we should wait on that. Can't imagine the trouble our ladies would get into if they were ever on the same page."

Xel's face fell and went pale. "Or that they'd get us into."

The brothers exchanged a long, terrified look before facing forward again and loudly clearing their throats.

"And on that note."

"Yep, I think I have a training session with Clyde that I'm late for."

"Just—one thing."

Xel stopped short.

Alen scratched his head in thought. "Aren't they already on the same page? I mean…Iola did work for her for a while…"

Xel's only response to that was a wide-eyed stare and further paling of his features. And with another clearing of his throat, he hurried off to find Clyde. Alen just grinned and chuckled at his rapid exit, taking a deep breath before going off to search for someone else.

…

All told, Iola wasn't difficult to find.

After returning from the hunt for the Ghost, she'd somewhat settled in as the Academy's resident chef extraordinaire. For the last fourteen months, there had been absolutely no complaints from the usual commissary staff, who up to that point had been forced to resort to some rather standard and uninteresting (but by no means unpalatable) dishes in order to remain self-sufficient food-wise. What Iola had been able to do with the native plant and animal life was nothing short of miraculous, and she claimed that it was a result of how closely her species was tied to the flora and fauna of their world. Jeruni were extraordinarily gifted in reading the properties and behavior of native life, Iola claiming that by seeing the more defined behavior of non-sentient organisms on their world, they were better able to read the same patterns in similar species that were less…expressive.

At any rate, her place within the kitchen with an apron around her waist was becoming just as recognizable attire as the ballistic-armored flight suit Xel had gotten her for her fourteenth birthday. He'd wanted to buy (or forge) something a bit more solid, but Alen had convinced him that the added weight of even something like plastoid would be more of a hindrance than help to someone as lithe and agile as Iola. Xel had initially protested, claiming that her added height and overall Amazonian size somewhat necessitated the need for a bit of added protection. Eventually, they'd come to a compromise, with a suit comprised of hardened ballistic fibers and overlocking plates of plastoid armor over her critical organs.

When she'd received the gift, Iola had laughed heartily and all but crushed the brothers to her in a fierce hug, one of Alen's more embarrassing moments, considering where his face had nearly landed. At her request, Xel had also designed an embossed symbol to be placed right over her heart as added protection. Since her people's society was somewhat decentralized, they had no official crest or insignia. Thus, it fell to her to decide what that symbol would be, and she eventually settled on, well, her captain's. Thus, a forest green representation of the Jedi Order's crest sat across the right of her chest whenever she wore the suit, as the ultimate sign of solidarity when she was in the field.

It had made Alen a bit embarrassed, at first, especially given Xel's compunction for teasing with regard to the pair of them, but as he'd spoken with his ancestor's holocron more and more, he'd seen precedent for such an association. Throughout the history of the Jedi Order, especially in the Old Republic, there were certain non-Force users that were not only closely allied with, but worked directly under the Jedi. From soldiers and scientists to doctors and scholars, any who had a thirst for knowledge and dedication to justice could potentially become "patronized" by the Order to further their overall mission of safety. When the Great War broke out, those relationships became even more important.

But his thoughts digressed, mostly as a coping mechanism for just how nervous he was.

Come on, Alen…you've done this before. She's a member of your crew, the only member of your crew. It's no big deal, no big deal…

Taking a deep breath, the Jedi marched his way into the commissary kitchen with some degree of feigned confidence and walked straight up to the girl he considered his best friend.

"Hey, Iola."

She shot him a glance before smiling and returning her attention to cutting up a root of some sort. "Hey yourself." Sensing a sudden silence, Iola continued. "What's up?"

Alen stared at her for a moment, taking a sharp breath when he saw the way she gently bit down on her lower lip. "Um…I was wondering…if you would take a trip with me?"

That got her attention, and she immediately stopped what she was doing to look at him. "What kind of trip?"

He took a breath. Here goes. "Well, it's, uh…it just occurred to me, a little while ago, that you showed me your home…but I haven't done the same."

Iola cocked her head and gave him a small frown. "I thought this was home for you. Or, that you were like Xel. You know, with the Shereshoy?"

Alen's lips pursed. "I guess it is that way, nowadays, at least. But it wasn't always."

She wiped her hands on her apron before tossing it onto a nearby hanging rod. "So, what, we're taking a trip across the galaxy? Visiting your old places?"

"Just one, really. Until I met Xel, it was the only home I ever knew."

"Wow…so you actually do have a childhood home?"

He nodded once. "And, much as it pains me to say it, I haven't seen it since my mother was taken."

She frowned a little. "How do you know it's even still standing, then?"

He shrugged. "I don't. But, with all the bonding and reminders of family we've been having lately, I have to find out."

Iola nodded slowly. "I understand." She smiled broadly. "I'd love to come with you."

Alen grinned. "Great! I mean, it might not exactly be a walk in the park, given that it's Imperial-controlled, but most worlds are, and the house itself is far away from any of the major settlements."

"Then let's go. How soon do we leave?"

He shrugged. "Soon as you're ready."

Iola let out a small laugh and moved off. "You've been planning this for a while, huh?"

"You could say that," he replied with a sheepish chuckle.

The girl threw him a knowing look, not sticking around long enough to see his color flare up in nerves as she went off to pack a few things. The Shereshoy left the Academy a mere hour later.

…

"Hey! Clyde!"

The older boy froze in his tracks and turned to face an approaching Xel. "What's going on?"

Caden gave him a confused look. "Whaaaat do you mean? We have a practice session in, like, ten minutes."

Clyde took a breath and facepalmed. "Ah…Xel, I'm sorry. Stang. I'd totally forgotten."

Xel's brows furrowed. "That's not like you. Something on your mind?" A mildly teasing grin came over his features. "A hot date perhaps?"

Clyde stared at him for a while, a smile forcing its way onto his lips, and chuckled. "Boyo, have you seen the pickings in this place?"

He shrugged. "I know. I'm just saying—"

The older boy just laughed and nodded slowly. "I know. But no, it's uh…it's a family matter. Something Kae and I have to discuss with Fenrim."

Xel's features shifted. "Oh. Gotcha." He held his hands up in surrender. "I won't get in your way then."

"Thanks," Clyde drawled. "I appreciate it," he tacked on with a smile.

The Mando just waved him off, starting to move toward one of the Academy's many obstacle courses. "Don't worry about it. I'll see ya later, yeah?"

"Yeah," he called back, features turning to a frown as soon as Xel was out of sight.

Clyde hated to lie to him…though technically it wasn't all a lie. He and Kael did have something to discuss with Fenrim, it simply wasn't just them. With a small measure of guilt gnawing away at him, the young Knight shook his head and moved toward Master Uln's hut.

…

Iola leaned back in her seat, rotating from side to side absently as she stared out into the blue tunnel of hyperspace. "You remember the first time I rode aboard this ship?"

Alen glanced over at her and smiled. "Of course. It was right after we met, right before…" His expression darkened slightly before he forced the smile back on. "Before you met Maila."

Iola didn't miss his brief shift in mood, but chose to ignore it, smirking instead. "I don't remember you being this nervous back then."

Alen stiffened for a moment before finding a thread to grasp and pulling it with a smile. "Don't tell me you weren't the slightest bit nervous about showing me Jeros."

She snorted rather ungracefully. "Please, I was more worried about showing you to Jeros. My people may be very civically-minded, but there's a reason we don't let mass amounts of foreigners on-planet without escort."

He frowned. "You're afraid that your world will be exploited."

The girl nodded gravely. "Whether in study of its gravitational anomalies or exportation of the exotic native plants…there are more than a few ways that Jeros could be threatened by enterprising industrialists. I suppose it's just as well that we're out in the middle of nowhere, with no obvious and valuable mineral or gas deposits. I fear for my world if any such sharks were to discover it and get any ideas, especially under the Empire."

Alen gently placed a hand on her shoulder, sending her a comforting smile. "I'll never let that happen."

Iola stared at him for a moment before laughing softly. "Alen, you're one man. We're two and a ship, all counted together. And not a very well-armed ship, at that."

Alen rolled his eyes at the not-so-subtle jab at his technically-inferior vessel. "Regardless. If that does happen, and we do nothing…even if it wouldn't have helped in the first place, it's inadmissible."

"I'm not disputing that. I just think you're being unrealistic about assuming you have a choice in the matter."

The Jedi stared at her sky blue eyes, sensing the uncharacteristic trepidation rolling off her and feeling a rather fierce surge of protectiveness wash over him, his own jaw setting firmly. "And I think you're underestimating just how much impact a single person can make."

Iola stared at him for a while, dumbstruck until he turned back to the dashboard to check over the ship's critical systems.

He sighed gently. "Anyway, I'm gonna try to catch some shut-eye before we arrive. I…think it would be best to have my full strength for this." He frowned, slowly getting up. "This is bound to be more than rough enough without exhaustion to add to the mix."

She gave him a sympathetic look, gently gripping his hand for a moment before releasing him to his cabin. Deciding she should do the same, she stared off into hyperspace a while longer before following suit.

…

"You're sure their activities are limited to the valley?"

Clyde frowned deeply at the question, staring at his mentor with a mixture of frustration and exasperation. "Of course not, sir. We can't really be sure of anything since you banned us from exploring the forest more than a quarter mile from the perimeter."

"For good reason," insisted Master Uln. "The less we interact with them, the less chance they decide to see us as a threat."

Pelem shot Fenrim a dark look. "That didn't help Ytris."

"Because we weren't aware of their aggressive defensive inclinations."

"I have to agree with Pel," said Kael. "Defensiveness aside, their inclinations should be more than enough to make us find out more. There's nothing worse than facing an enemy you don't know."

Clyde arched a brow. "Learning from Caden, are we?"

Kael snorted and crossed her arms. "He's a lot smarter than he lets on."

"But also originating from a warrior culture," Fenrim interrupted, "and given his temperament, very quick to fight."

"Not anymore," Kael protested. "I remember when he first came here, Master, and…he is not the same person." Seeing Fenrim's reticent expression, she turned to her brother. "Tell him, Cly."

The older boy frowned and sighed. "He has become a great deal more deliberate, especially since beginning his training with me," he plugged (quite shamelessly, as Kael mentally noted). "I don't disagree that we shouldn't automatically resort to armed conflict, but there is conflict already, Master. Their assault on Ytris' excavation team is more than proof of that. Knowing more about a potential threat—or just our neighbors—is far from inadvisable. It's simple prudence, sir."

Fenrim looked to each of his students, all Knights in their own right (save for Kael, who was a special exception), and finally relented. "Fine. Perform some reconnaissance, if it would set your mind at ease, but avoid any direct confrontations with them. The last thing we need is to spark their ire and start a war between our settlements."

"I'm not stupid, sir. I know that. Even if it came to outright violence, we don't have nearly enough Knights to win."

"We don't know that," one of the other Knights stated from Clyde's far left. "We don't know anything."

"So rectify that," Fenrim reiterated. "Take Pelem and anyone else you need with you, but try to keep your party at a minimum."

Clyde nodded. "Understood." He gave a nod to the Gray Jedi who'd spoken up just now, a Nikto named Miol, motioning him and Pelem over. "We'll start with the west, then work our way east, that way we don't have to fight the terrain. Any objections?"

They shook their heads, about to follow him from Fenrim's hut when a new voice spoke up.

"Hey!"

Clyde turned to his approaching sister.

"You're taking me with you, right?"

Her older brother frowned. "'Fraid not, sis."

Kael's expression darkened.

"Look," he said calmingly, "I know you'd be a great asset to us out there, especially if anyone gets injured. But we're not planning on picking any fights, all right?" He frowned. "Besides…" he glanced out the entrance flap to ensure no one was eavesdropping, "I might need you to distract Xel."

She arched an eyebrow, confused. "Excuse me?"

He sighed. "I ran into him on the way here. Told him I was discussing a family matter with you and Fenrim."

Kael blinked. "He doesn't know?"

"He's not a Knight, Kae. Of course he doesn't know."

"But…he's not like the other students."

"I know."

"He's not some scared, unstable kid or—"

"Kae," Clyde interrupted sharply. "I know." He sighed. "I don't like this either, but rules are rules, and whether or not we think he's ready for something like this isn't up to us, not when it affects the whole Academy."

She bit her lower lip. "If he finds out, he's gonna be pissed."

"And probably throw a few choice Mandalorian words my way, yes."

"If you're lucky, that's all he'll throw. Even if Ytris isn't exactly his closest friend, finding out that what happened to him wasn't an accident—and that we didn't tell him—is going to set his blood boiling. And that will be several shades of bad. Because then he really will go looking for a fight."

"And at that point it'll be a cred toss of who it's with." Clyde sighed hard, rubbing the back of his head. "If all goes well, we'll figure out a way to stay out of their way and he'll never have to know."

"Clyde…since when has relying on that logic ever panned out?"

Another sigh. "A man can hope, Kae. A man can hope."

…

Obroa-skai

Opening the front door of what had once been home was…well, it wasn't exactly comfortable. The presence of the girl at his back helped, though, especially as he stepped inside to inhale the stale scent of dead plants, a small amount of overgrowth creeping in through a few windows due to neglect. The dust the pair disturbed upon entry was thick and almost choking, Alen using a gentle Force Push to clear some of it out of their immediate vicinity before moving toward the kitchen, where he knew a high-volume vacuum lay. An eerie feeling stole over him as he found the machine exactly where he'd left it, finger pressing the activation key and feeling its vibrational response choke a little on startup before it ran smoothly.

Iola too got to work, Alen quietly instructing her to find other cleaning materials, just to get the place semi-presentable. He didn't know why he did that. After all, this was supposed to be a relaxing trip for them both, but especially for her. After a while, though, he realized how much seeing her house now, once been truly beautiful and full of life, would have hurt Telia, had she been there. A mere thirty minutes later, it was looking less like a hovel and more like a work-in-progress. It still wasn't good enough for Alen's liking, but hey, he'd take what he could get.

The Jedi knelt over the fireplace, chucking a bit of dead wood and dry vegetation into the pit and lighting it up with the kitchen igniter. The gentle flame brought some much-needed light and warmth to the otherwise dreary home, at least until Alen worked the generator circuitry and managed to restart the house's power grid. A few appliances started up thanks to the sudden burst of electricity, a holoprojector in the living room chief among them. Iola and Alen both stared at the holofilm that played, one with a curious expression, the other with bittersweet reminiscence. An older yet elegant woman laughed and grinned at a young boy, about five years old, as he toddled and ran around her in impossibly excited circles, a model ARC-170 held in his hand as he mimed explosions and put the toy through its paces.

Alen kept staring, an unbelievable melancholy sinking into his bones even as he felt a smile twitch at his lips. To his left, Iola was grinning widely and approaching him with rapid steps.

"Aww…baby you was so cute!"

Alen felt he should've been embarrassed by the declaration, but instead he just chuckled at Iola's innocent comment. "It was a simpler time then. Easier to just…be a kid, you know?" He wiped at his eyes with the back of his sleeve. "And I guess Xel could say the same, least for the way Mando kids are raised. I guess that's how it's supposed to be. No matter how you're raised, no matter how fast you mature, there are always things you're simply incapable of understanding until you're older. But when you are…" His shoulders sank as a heavy sigh came from his lips, heart throbbing painfully. "Iola," he said in a whisper.

She gripped his shoulder gently but firmly, her other arm going around his neck and softly pulling him against her back-first.

Alen reached up and placed his hand over hers, fingers tightening around the appendage as his vision clouded over. "I miss her," he whispered.

"I know," she whispered back. Iola let the silence hang in the air for a while before speaking again. "Did you ever really…grieve for her?"

"I did," he insisted quietly. "The Jedi way."

Iola arched an eyebrow against the side of his head. "Which means?"

He took a deep breath. "Solemn respect and regard for the dead. Acceptance that their physical life is ended but their spirit moved on, returned to the Force."

"…that sounds more like a ritual than grieving."

"That is how we grieve."

"Maybe for a fellow Jedi, a brother or sister-in-arms, but…she was your mother."

Alen's breath hitched for a moment. "I…I was never taught any other way." He turned in her grip, gently putting his arms around her as she held him back, his chin laid on her shoulder. "I think, that is, I mean…I'm not sure she knew another way. Long as she spent with Dad…I don't think he ever rubbed off on her that much. To Jedi, the dead are rarely spoken of with grief, but gladness, that their life energy has returned to the source, and will soon be given to support another form of life. But…it'll never be her again. She'll never be here again." He held her tighter, voice cracking. "I'll never get to see her smile, hear her laugh." Alen began shaking. "Mom…" He shook harder, hands trembling against Iola's back.

The Jerun just held him closer, slowly lowering them to the floor when his knees began to give out. She tightened her grip on him when she felt him try to stop the sobs. "Don't, Alen. Let it come." Her eyes closed for a moment, briefly flashing with memories that were without doubt unintentionally being broadcast by the weeping boy in her arms. "Don't block it out. You need this. I promise you, she'd understand that."

And with that, over the next five straight minutes, for the first time in his life, Alen Li-am wailed to the roof and empty walls of what had once been his home.

…

Gray Academy, Athiss

Xel's head turned sharply to one side, the movement interrupting him mid-sentence as Kael stared at him with a confused look. His features twisted undiscernibly for a moment, then shifted again as he took and released a deep, shuddering breath. His eyes closed.

I'm here, vod. You're not alone.

He received no response, but based on the intensity of emotions he was feeling, and over such a great distance, his brother had other things on his mind. Still, Xel sent as much love and support as was possible, then abruptly closed the bond, knowing that Alen had someone there with him who would do more than enough.

Xel cleared his throat. "Sorry, what was I saying?"

Kae gave him a concerned look. "Um…you were talking about that one time you crashed your bike."

"Oh," he replied softly, suddenly utterly disinterested with the conversation.

Kael noticed. "Hey, if…there's something else on your mind we can talk later, okay?"

He looked back to her. "No—no, I mean…sorry. I'm just a little distracted."

"Something with your brother?"

He arched a black eyebrow. "Is it that obvious?"

Her head shook. "Not to most people. But I've been through the same thing, remember?" She gently tapped her temple. "Those Force bonds can be a real pain. Especially with how much trouble my bro used to get into."

Xel snorted. "You mean he doesn't still?"

Kael chuckled, the action cut off abruptly when she realized exactly where Clyde was. "Point taken."

…

"Watch each other's backs. Last thing we need is to be ambushed."

"We're not rookies, Clyde," Pelem pointed out gently. "Just take a breath."

Clyde arched an eyebrow at the senior Knight. "Shouldn't I be the one telling you that? I mean, after what these schuttas did to Ytris…"

"Exactly. What does it say when you don't have to?"

Clyde rolled his eyes but took the hint, sufficiently reprimanded. If his friendship and initial rivalry with Xel had been any indication, he was not nearly as infallible as he'd previously assumed, star student or no. His temper, and the way it tended to relieve him of all rational thought, was something Fenrim had warned him about time and again, and in the year-plus after his ill-conceived duel with the Mando, Clyde had diligently attempted to curb said weakness. But, as with any bad habit worth breaking, some days were…clearly better than others. Steering his mind back toward the present, Clyde scanned the foliage and bark that comprised the majority of his surroundings, the terrain occasionally disrupted by sparse falls of rock or dirt. Whether those falls were caused by natural causes or sentient intent was up for discussion.

Briefly, Clyde mourned that they couldn't bring Alen or Xel into the fold. Their natural intuition, not to mention Alen's uncanny Sight ability, would be quite the boon in this situation. Alas, he believed what he'd told Kael earlier, and had no choice but to adhere to it. His mind wandered briefly to the memories his sister had evoked earlier, about him and Xel and how their friendship had progressed. Their mixture of cooperation and rivalry was…unorthodox, to say the least, but a great deal friendlier than they'd been upon first meeting. Stars above, the difference was like night and day. Yeah, they still gave each other bruises and burns from time to time, but always with the intent of learning, not bodily harm.

Well, Clyde thought with a smirk, almost always.

They both knew their rough edges wouldn't vanish overnight, even if they'd established rapport on the basis of examination. Especially so, in fact, since at least for the first couple of months, Clyde insisted on observing Xel's actions and motivations and going over them with a fine-toothed comb. Doing so, even in an amicable way, drew some sidelong (and mildly threatening) stares from Kael, but after the incident with the Ghost…well, suffice to say that he could feel the changes in Xel, and not just because of the injuries he'd sustained during the rescue. It was as if the weight of a thousand suns had gone supernova and propelled him into a ferocious spurt of growth and learning.

His sheer devotion and diligence had nearly bowled Clyde over, and in no time at all, Xel had started picking up even more advanced Djem So techniques, to the point where the younger man's movements in battle had almost completely shifted. Compared to his earlier Shien technique, his style was almost completely unrecognizable, as if it were a blend between both tiers of Form V. In retrospect, it seemed as if that were exactly what it was. Again, Clyde forced himself to focus on the situation at hand, barely catching a flash of movement in his peripheral vision and snapping toward it instantly. All senses on alert, he searched the foliage for another second or two before facing the other two Knights.

"Did you two see—"

"Get down!" Miol shouted as he shoved Clyde to one side by the head, prompting the teen to yelp indignantly as the Nikto and Pelem drew sabers, one orange, one green.

Miol's blade was thicker and longer than most, almost like the structure of an ancient greatsword, and swept in wide, deliberate arcs as he deflected four incoming plasma bolts in the first swing. Pelem also took part of the load as Clyde regained his bearings, taking the enemy's single lane of fire and his currently obstructed location to move down a hill and circle round their flank. That plan went down the drain quickly when a third gunman opened fire on him from behind a copse of trees. He pulled his saber just as quickly, but didn't activate it, since the first cluster of shots went wide. Instead, he weaved in and out of the trees with smooth execution, using some of them as springboards for acrobatic maneuvers that made him even harder to hit.

A moment before he fully closed the distance, Clyde leapt toward his assailant, saber held underhandedly and activating as he fell, its tip angled directly toward the gunman's shoulder. Ten feet off the ground, he froze midair, feeling an invisible hand close around his chest as his motion was completely arrested. That same motion was reversed a split-second later as he was propelled back down the hill and into the forest. He twist-flipped with the motion, saber held high as he spotted the source of the disturbance, a female figure with a light gray hood obscuring her hair and a charcoal black cloth covering her nose and mouth area. The rest of her ensemble shared the same overall color scheme, but that was hardly what he noticed as he brought his silver-edged lightsaber down toward her torso.

Fast as he could blink, she had dashed to the side and drawn something from her cloak, a segmented metal object whose body unfolded rapidly with her motions, and a moment later, a second snap-hiss split the disturbed forest air as a gold blade burst into existence. His own sword near the ground, Clyde slowly rose from a crouch, body turning to face his assailant but saber remaining in its position, pointed out sideways and down relative to his stance. His cold silver eyes locked on the woman pacing around him, gaze flickering to the blade of her lightsaber pike as they circled each other. Not a word passed between them, but Clyde noticed that her stance and movements were much more relaxed and fluid than his own.

The reasoning behind this was immediately forthcoming when a gently sweeping motion of her pike from side-to-side turned into a surprise attack from below, the woman slashing the blade upward and nearly splitting Clyde from groin to sternum before he snapped his body away. He attempted to lunge back forward, but found himself blocked when her upward swipe lent itself to continued motion, the pike's body used as a pendulum to relay multiple spinning horizontal swipes at Clyde's shoulders. Sensing more force behind each strike than he could hold up to for long, the Knight backpedaled just out of range of each one, ducking when she enlarged the reach of the pike by sliding her grip to the bottom of its handle mid-spin. Clyde rushed forward immediately after the blade passed his head, attempting to run her through in one strike but finding his brain aching when she drove a knee into his forehead, stunning him.

Lunging to his left, Clyde cartwheeled away as she spun once more, attempting a rising diagonal strike on his legs. The Knight avoided the strike with his acrobatic maneuver, the tip of the blade just missing his anchoring wrist as it swept past. The moment his feet were on the ground, Clyde dashed back in, closing the distance to reduce her reach advantage and throwing several rapid strikes her way. Head, hip, shoulder—each were attacked in rapid succession, the woman managing to deflect his blows with relative ease once she got her weapon back in a defensive position. She countered his last attack with a blunt shaft strike to his gut, a blow that impact his left palm hard enough to sting, but not enough to slow him down. As point of fact, he used that point of contact to pull her toward him and attempt to grapple her to the ground.

The leaves beneath her feet crunched as her body left the ground, Clyde's grip on her hilt used to cartwheel over his head and fall into a trip-kick. Clyde's side hit the deck painfully, leaving him exposed to a downward stab that he managed to twist away from. His left hand once again wrapped around the pike's shaft, pushing it further into the ground as he swung around the hilt to slash at her head. Evidently, she'd been expecting the move, since she bent over backwards with smooth efficiency, falling into a deep crouch and resorting to a ground-fighting stance as she countered with a solid kick to his chest. The impact sent him rolling backward and allowed her to free her blade, coming in with short, fast swipes at multiple angles.

Clyde twirled his blade in spirals between him and her, batting her strikes aside and building speed and power for a spinning attack at her midsection, the sheer power of the move batting her saber aside. Sensing her sudden anxiety (and a weakness), Clyde kept raining down powerful strikes powered by his spins and body weight, beating her back step by step until she accidentally backed up against a tree. A smirk forced its way to his lips as he felt a surge of desperation come from his opponent, and responded with calm deflects as she lashed out with equally desperate strikes.

It was a matter of mere child's play to open her up for a burst of Electric Judgment then, the golden arcs playing over her body and forcing a screech from her throat as her muscles spasmed uncontrollably. It wasn't five seconds later that he had disarmed her and held his blade angled at her throat, a small telekinetic manipulation pulling the bottom half of her mask away to reveal severe but beautiful features underneath. Her fiery eyes and furious scowl held his attention most.

"Who are you?" Clyde asked, voice even and smooth. When no answer was forthcoming, he continued. "Why did you assault us? We were merely proceeding through the forest, of no threat to you."

Finally, her lips moved. "No?" she hissed threateningly. "If you were not expecting a fight, then why travel in packs of three armed with such weapons?"

The teen couldn't restrain a wry smirk. "Have you not met the local wildlife, love?"

She snorted a bitter laugh. "Humor. It will do you little good."

Clyde shrugged. "Wouldn't know about that. My sister tells me it's one of my more redeeming features."

Her scowl deepened. "Shame on you for bringing your family into his fold."

He froze up for a moment. "Excuse me? Who? Into whose fold?"

Her teeth bared and gritted together. "The false prophet must be eliminated."

Clyde's eyes narrowed at her, saber deactivating as he crouched close to her. "What false prophet? What are you talking about?"

"He cannot stop what my master has set in motion," she spouted with a haughty air. "The Revanchists will rise again, servant of Uln."

A cold sweat gathered at the back of his neck at the power behind her words, even if he had no idea what they meant. After a moment or two, Clyde's mouth set into a grim line, and he glanced back into the forest to see Pelem and Miol sorting out the enemy survivors above him. He turned back to frown at the disarmed woman, her eyes burning with defiance. A pair of zip-cuffs went over her hands as he roughly hauled her to her feet.

"Not today they won't."

…

Li-am residence, Obroa-skai

Even after he'd stopped bawling, Alen had steadfastly refused to say a word. Not as they slowly pulled apart, Iola giving him a reassuring smile, or as he wandered the house with her in tow, finding small trinkets and other items he'd designated unimportant on his flight from the planet. He didn't speak one word for close to twenty minutes, not until they were in the kitchen, Alen pulling something from a mobile cooler they'd brought in with them. Even then, he only asked her what she'd like on a dish he was preparing, something rather unfamiliar to his companion. The nerf meat he was using was common enough, but the combination of cooking implements and spices with the meat…

Anyhow, she busied herself with tidying up further, getting some natural light in the house to give it less of a dead feeling by clearing out some of the overgrown windows. By the time the scent of food reached a fever pitch, Iola had worked up quite the appetite, something her body was quick and rather emphatic to state with a noise that made Alen laugh for the first time in hours. He didn't stop smiling until they were both served and seated at a dining table that hadn't seen use in almost three years. And then he started poking at Iola's food rather sneakily, trying to steal what he could, much to her protest.

Iola was especially irritated since she hadn't eaten since they left Athiss, but Alen seemed insistent on having some fun at her expense, and given his mood not long after their arrival, she was loathe to begrudge him that. All the same, his better Jedi temperament eventually returned, a calmness and contentedness about him that wasn't there before.

"What is this?" Iola asked about ten minutes into dinner.

Alen grinned. "Something my mom used to make. Nerf steaks with local roots and herbs. Said it was a mark of genius for a chef to be able to adapt their cuisine to any locale." He gently prodded Iola's arm with his fork. "She would've loved you."

Iola smiled cautiously. "Did you learn anything else from her?"

His smile dampened a bit, turning sad. "Too much to be said in a short conversation."

She frowned a little. "I meant the food."

"I know," he answered quietly. Alen took a deep, calming breath, then smiled at her softly. "Iola…I wanted to share this with you—" Something caught in his throat, and he took a few moments to cough it loose. "I wanted to share this with you," he continued, voice scratchy, "because in a lot of ways, you remind me of home. And I don't just mean this place." He waved at their surroundings. "Because you're right. For the last three years, I've lived among the stars, moving from place to place with nowhere to really call my own except that ship. My mother's ship. And I've had to learn that home is the memories and love you carry with you. Same as family.

"It can't be confined to a place or a building. You can't measure it or stick a nametag on it. It's not something you find. It's something…something you make." He reached out and gently gripped her hand, suddenly short of breath. "Iola—you have no idea how much of a constant you've been in my life, how much of a rock. Even when my own brother…I was never alone, because of you." His mouth went dry. "I guess…I guess what I'm trying to say is…" Alen froze up at the strange, pensive look in her sky blue eyes.

Why is she staring at me like that?

"Um…"

"Yes?" she asked, lips twitching with restrained amusement.

"I…" Alen mentally rolled his eyes at his own indecision.

Oh, the hell with it.

The sixteen-year-old leaned forward rather abruptly, apparently forgetting that there was a table between them, since his gut slammed into the hardwood rather painfully, sending him into a coughing fit that finally got Iola's laughter to burst. He tried to shush her, but between his coughing spell and mounting embarrassment, he couldn't find the words. Instead, he was forced to sit in shame as Iola gently rubbed his back, grinning toothily the whole time until his lung spasms finally calmed down. And then, he just stared blankly into the distance until she returned to her seat, belatedly realizing that Iola was waiting for him to find his words.

Taking a deep breath, Alen cleared his throat rather hard. "Well…that was awkward."

"Mhm," she hummed, still trying to hold back laughter for his sake, apparently determined not to ruin his plan and unaware that he'd done that all by himself.

"Look…Iola…"

"Alen—you can stop with the poetry, 'kay?" She allowed herself a warm smile, gently holding his hand. "Just ask what you want to ask."

He sighed and took a deep breath, closing, then opening his eyes with a sober smile. "Iola…will you go out with me…exclusively?"

A moment's pause passed before she again burst into raucous laughter, making Alen feel rather disoriented and let down until she managed to calm herself enough to speak. "I—I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Al. I just…" She vainly smothered a smile and looked over at him, eyes dancing with laughter. "Did you really have to add the last part?"

Alen blinked, then cocked his head in confusion. "Eh?"

Iola mimed finger quotes. "'Exclusively'? Are you serious?" She tossed her head back and laughed again. "I mean, did you think I would really date you non-exclusively?"

"Well…I…um—"

"Yes, you gorgeous dolt," she interrupted smoothly, taking his moment of confusion to get up and sit across his lap, arms looping around his neck. Her lips spread wide apart in a beatific smile. "Yes."

Alen stared up at her for a while, his previous feelings about her appearance suddenly multiplied several times as her face hovered barely a foot from his. "Oh," he breathed, "…thank the Force."

Iola chuckled again and poked his nose teasingly. "Would you have fired me if I'd said no?"

He leaned his head back for a moment, completely taken aback by the question, even if it was said jokingly. "Stars no." He frowned a little and shifted in his seat (well, as much as he could with Iola sitting on top of him). "I'd have given you the ship in heartbreak."

Iola's expression immediately sobered. "Wh—but…that ship is…was your mom's."

Alen shook his head, his lips turning upward slightly, the skin around his eyes crinkling in mirth. "I'm not like Xel, Iola. That ship isn't home for me. You are."

The girl's jaw dropped at the declaration, finally understanding exactly what he meant and staring at him completely dumbstruck.

Alen's smile widened a bit at finally rendering her speechless, but stayed as calm as his voice. "I'm…I'm gonna kiss you now…if that's okay."

"Oh stars," she breathed, "…I thought you'd never ask."

Finally, Alen let himself grin ear-to-ear like he'd wanted to since she'd said yes, pressing his lips to hers gently at first, then more insistently—much more insistently. It was a full two minutes before they pulled apart even slightly, both of their faces flushed and lungs starved for breath. Iola's pupils were vastly dominant in her eyes, and if that wasn't enough indication of how pleased she was with this development, the look on her face certainly was. Grinning wolfishly, Alen leaned back in and stayed there until it occurred to him that they might want to do one more thing before losing themselves to the moment. Thus, it was with some reluctance that he pulled away, much to her verbal but unintelligible protest.

Alen gently poked her nose in imitation of her and smiled widely, gently patting her thigh with his hand to get her up. "Come on. There's something I want to show you."

With a disappointed yet curious look, Iola reluctantly climbed off his lap and let him stand, taking his offered hand immediately and following him out the back door. What greeted them on the other side was…nothing short of spectacular.

I'd almost forgotten how beautiful this place is.

And indeed, with the vision before him, all those memories came rushing back at once, of the evenings he'd spent in exactly this spot, doing what he was right now, whether alone, or with Mom or Xel. He looked over to his right, seeing the similarly awed expression of his—of his girlfriend, and smiled. Situated on the side of a mountain, as they were, the view of the sunset was absolutely breathtaking.

You always said that was why you chose this place, Mom. Alen smiled bittersweet. If you can see me, somehow…I hope you and Dad are smiling too.

The couple exchanged no more words that night. Nothing more needed to be said.

…

Gray Academy, Athiss

Xel awoke with a start, for what seemed like the umpteenth time since the turn of the year. His calloused hands scrubbed over his face, eyes glancing around his abode to make sure that everything was as he'd left it. His eyelids drifted shut as he let out a long breath, forcing his heart to calm bit by bit. He really, really wished he could control these visions. It was just like the weeks before Hypori, only that time the nightmares had been almost nightly, rather than once or twice every couple of weeks. The other difference, of course, was the difference in feel of the dreams, in addition to contents.

Speaking of content…

The previous dreams had been mostly ethereal, vague. Altogether, he'd never been able to remember any details upon waking, if there were any to begin with. This time, though…this time, he'd seen pictures, objects, people.

Blades of light, armor of metal and plastoid…and that mask… Dark blue eyes flew open, then slid shut again as he forced himself to envision the last image once more, opening once more as realization struck true. I've seen it before—in the temple, right before I met Fenrim. It was in that relief. He was in that relief. He stared out a window and off into the distance, frowning. But that's impossible…he's dead.

Realizing he wouldn't be able to fall back to sleep with his mind running as it was, Xel got up and threw on some clothes, his synthleather jacket going around his shoulders as a barrier to the cool, foggy night air. Once again, he made his way into the forest, dodging the perimeter patrols with some difficulty.

Weird, he thought. I thought I had these patrol times down to a science.

Regardless, it wasn't long before he was beyond the bounds of the Academy's perimeter and deep into the forest, each step helping to calm his rushing thoughts. A small chuckle erupted from his throat when he realized he'd stumbled upon the clearing where he'd fought with Clyde just over a year ago. The laugh died in his throat when he felt an itch in the back of his head, a nudge ever so slight, and he whirled around, gazing intently into an impossibly thick mist. Mere moments passed before he realized it was getting thicker, swirling around him in a dense cloud. His head cocked and eyes narrowed as warning bells started ringing off in his head. His right hand fell to the right side of his waist, to the saber hanging off his belt, and his fingers closed around a long beskar cylinder.

Another nudge in the back of his head, from his sixth sense, and he spun back around, cylinder grasped in both hands, its single opening angled away from him threateningly. His lip curled up in a slight snarl as the nudge turned into a push, and the fog's reflective particles lit up in red as a deadly crimson snap-hiss heralded the presence of an enemy. Xel's lips curved upward in a malevolent smirk as his right thumb pressed in and upward, moving a switch on the cylinder. A sharp ring preceded the sapphire blade that came from it, pointing diagonally upward toward his opponent as they circled each other, their sabers the only visible evidence of each other. He stretched out with the Force, brushing against his unknown opponent, and furrowed his brows at the strange sensation he got in return.

"You're no Inquisitor," he stated in a quiet but firm voice.

The other, still-invisible figure remained silent.

"So who are you, and why are you here? What have I done to deserve your ire?"

Only silence answered him. Well, silence and a sudden thickening of fog around him as the saber lunged forward through the mist. Xel sidestepped and swung just below the blade in a preemptive strike, only for the red light to vanish abruptly, leaving the Mando confused. Two seconds passed before he felt another warning from the Force and spun around to meet the reappeared saber with two deflects and a diagonal counter-strike. It again met empty air, and the glowing blade vanished once more. With growing aggravation, Xel avoided and countered three more such surprise attacks before getting fed up with it all and channeling his power inward. A moment later, he released a burst of Force energy outward, Repulsing the fog instantaneously and revealing the saber to be devoid of a holder as it fell to the ground, inactive. Confusion gripped him for a few moments before the hilt suddenly began trembling, making him tense up in readiness.

His caution was unmerited, however, as the lightsaber simply flew off into the forest, to the edge of a wall of trees some distance below the same grassy outcropping he'd noticed before dueling Clyde. The glint of the weapon's metal body allowed him to track it easily, to the point where it slapped against the palm of a shadowy robed figure off in the distance. The hooded form turned to move deeper into the forest once the saber was retrieved.

Fury built in Xel's chest as he raised his voice to shout. "Hey. Hey!"

It stopped abruptly, turning in place to look at him, no features visible save for the shadows beneath the hood. Xel saw no eyes, no form, but with that one stare, he felt his grip around his lightsaber tighten, and indeed his whole body tense with a sudden and powerful chill running up his spine. He didn't know how long he stood there, paralyzed, before the entity turned back around and vanished into the night, but when he'd finally returned to his senses, he immediately made for the Academy's borders, heedless of who saw him coming in. The Academy passed by in a blur as he beelined for Fenrim's hut, stopping in his tracks as soon as he stepped inside and was greeted by the sight of Clyde and a whole lot of other Gray Knights meeting with the master.

They all turned to stare at him, the room silent for a moment before Fenrim spoke up.

"Something's bothering you."

Xel turned his eyes to Uln. "There's something…out in the forest. Something decidedly not friendly."

Clyde arched an eyebrow at him. "And how exactly would you know that?" He crossed his arms. "Another unsanctioned trip beyond the perimeter, I'd assume?"

The Mando rolled his eyes and turned his gaze to his friend. "Well, yes, but you're kind of missing the—" he stopped short, eyes narrowing, "—wait a minute." His hand rose, finger pointing between Clyde and Fenrim. "You—you knew."

Clyde visibly tensed.

"You knew something was out there…something dangerous." His eyes fixed a glare on Clyde, teeth gritting. "You knew and you said nothing."

"Calm your ass down," Clyde advised carefully, expression guarded. "We're handling it."

"Really?" asked a skeptical Xel. "You call me getting attacked in the forest with a floating lightsaber 'handling it'?"

"Well if you weren't breaking Academy rules by going beyond the perimeter—in the dead of night, I might add—maybe you wouldn't have run into that in the first place."

"And yet you know exactly how I work, that those 'unsanctioned trips' are my way of cooling down, and you still said nothing. I could've been prepared, at the very least. On my guard. Instead, you left me vulnerable."

"Let's be fair here," Fenrim interrupted gently. "It's Academy rules not to share information about external threats with anyone less than Knight rank, unless that threat becomes an imminent danger to the Academy itself."

Xel sneered at them both. "I've been hearin' a lot about 'rules' in this conversation." He pointed out toward the wall. "The person on the other end of that saber doesn't care about your rules, Fenrim."

"And maybe if you cared a little more," Clyde interrupted irritably, "you wouldn't have been in danger to begin with."

The Mando turned to his friend, slowing getting up in his face and staring him down. "When we became friends, Clyde, I made you a promise. That I would never lie to you."

"And I haven't."

"No?" Xel arched with a skeptical eyebrow. "So you consider a lie of omission anything other than a lie?"

"Xel—"

"And what about Ytris, hm?" Xel saw Clyde's face pale. "Were his injuries really caused by a landmine? Or was it something else you neglected to tell me?"

Clyde's lips pursed, the older boy casting a questioning look at Master Uln.

"The cat's out of the bag, son," he said gently.

The Chandrilan noble turned back to Xel and frowned. "Ballistakinesis. A landmine did go off, but it only created the shrapnel. Someone—and we don't know who—used ballistakinesis to hurl the shards at the excavation team. Ytris tried to hold it back while the others ran to safety. He failed."

And with that, Xel gave the room a bitter smile and snort, then strode from the dwelling.

"Xel," Clyde called in a pleading tone.

"Save it," he hissed, waving him off.

…

Obroa-skai

A loud beep roused Alen from a peaceful, dreamless sleep, his body groaning in protest as his tired eyes fluttered open. A moment of panic occurred before he remembered the reason why his right arm was currently asleep, glancing over to see Iola's sleeping form draped across his side. His left hand reached over and gently took several thick strands of her ante-hair, the fleshy tendrils tenderly rubbed between his fingertips as he admired their color.

Strange. I remember it being brighter a few months ago.

The beep sounded once more, forcing Alen to move the rest of his body, gently sliding his girlfriend's sleeping form off his arm and freeing the rest of him to move. He grabbed his ringing holocom and took it several rooms down, only hitting the receiver once he figured he was out of Iola's hearing. The communicator powered on with a flash of static, the blue-tinged image resolving into his brother's jacketed form.

"Xel, this had better be important."

Despite the initial scowl on Xel's face, the Mando's lips quirked upward with mirth at Alen's declaration. "So…I take that to mean it went well?"

Against his will, Alen's face began to glass over. "Exceedingly," he breathed in a dreamy sigh.

Caden laughed heartily, though there was a clipped edge to it. "See? What'd I tell you?"

"Yeah, yeah. So…important?"

His smile faded instantly. "It's the Academy, vod. For the past couple of months, Clyde and the other Knights have been secretly investigating the presence of another faction on Athiss. A faction of Force-users."

Alen's eyes went wide. "And why were we not informed?"

Xel gave out a loud snort. "Because apparently, it's 'against Academy rules' to give anyone less than a Knight information that might save their lives." He took a moment to calm himself. "I really hate to interrupt you guys. Sounds like you're having fun."

"Sleeping, actually, but yeah. We did."

He sighed. "Well…take your time. This has been going on for a couple months already, so I doubt everything's gonna go down the crapper immediately, but…when you can—"

"I understand," Alen interrupted softly. "We'll be there tomorrow."

Xel nodded. "Got it. Thanks."

Alen just pursed his lips and turned the holocommunicator off, standing in the darkness for a while and taking a deep breath. "It's always something," he said to the empty air. He glanced down at the communicator, frowning a little as the giddy feeling he'd felt since his first kiss rapidly leached away. His head shook slowly as he turned back to his room and sighed again, settling back in next to Iola without a sound, but finding himself fitfully awake. A pronounced eye-roll preceded his last coherent thought of the evening.

Thanks a lot, Xel.

AN: Another super long chapter lol. That trend's probably gonna continue for a while yet. If the idea of another Force-using faction on Athiss seems outlandish, just wait. There's a very good reason for their existence, one that'll be explained in later chapters for sure. This was primarily an expository chapter, one that is really getting the Athiss storyline rolling. For those of you who recognized the reference in the interrogation scene, just wait. You're gonna love what comes later.

Next up will be…probably a two-chapter arc getting back to the "underworld" setting of Xel's occupation, with Maila and co. That likely won't get done for a good long while, so I thought I'd leave you at this let-off point for now. I really want to develop some of the other Grays, especially the Dansens and Clyde in particular, in the intervening chapters, but I really kinda want to start wrapping this story up. Granted, by wrapping up I mean…about 10-12 chapters left. Crap. Uhhhh yeah. This is gonna take a while.

Anyway, stay tuned for more. Hope you enjoyed this. Review as always.

Oya, vode.

- CDrake