Air Temple Island - Republic City
Caran POV...
Me and Jarik are sitting across from each other in the Meditation Pavilion, where he's about to begin my next lesson about being a Jedi.
"Today's focus will be about your lightsaber," Jarik states, and I widen my eyes eagerly. "You have it with you right?"
"Yeah, of course!" I reply, holding it up.
"And how about your kyber crystal?" he asks.
"I have it with me," I tell him, showing it from underneath my shirt. "I wear it as a necklace."
"I suppose that works," he remarks. "Can I see your lightsaber for a moment?"
"Sure," I reply, handing him my lightsaber.
He looks it over for a few long moments, turning it this way and that and feeling the grooves with his fingers. He then opens up his hands, although he uses the Force to hold the lightsaber up in between them. I watch, mesmerized, until he clenches his fingers and makes a pulling motion. I gasp with incredulous horror as my lightsaber just crumbles apart, being separated into dozens of little pieces, which he deposits on the ground.
"Wh- hey!" I exclaim in shock. "What did you just do?!"
"Hmm?" he asks, looking up at me.
"You just broke my lightsaber! Why would you do that?!" I demand angrily.
"Ok, first, this isn't your lightsaber. Technically it's Qui-Gon's," he shrugs carelessly.
"I swear if you're trying that whole 'making-me-mad' lesson again-" I start to say.
"Secondly," Jarik interrupts firmly. "It isn't broken."
"Yeah, and Fire Lord Ozai wanted to share hugs and kisses with the world," I retort sarcastically, steaming as I look down at my broken lightsaber in despair.
"I'm serious Caran, relax. It's not broken. I just separated it into its different parts," he says calmly. "It's part of the lesson."
"And how is that part of the lesson?" I ask bitterly.
"Because you're going to learn how to construct a lightsaber," he tells me.
I falter in my angry retort, staring at him in surprise and blinking a few times.
"Wait, seriously?" I ask cautiously.
"Seriously," he nods.
"Well… how am I going to do that?" I ask doubtfully. "I'm not a mechanical engineer, I- I'm not gonna know how to assemble something like this!"
"You don't need to know anything about mechanics to construct your lightsaber, you just trust in the Force to guide your motions," he replies.
"Huh," I say, silent for a few moments. "But if I have my own lightsaber already why would I need to make another one?"
In response to my question, Jarik reaches into the pile of scattered lightsaber parts and pulls out a glowing green crystal, holding it up. I widen my eyes slightly at the sight of it, sensing the Force coming from it, much like my own crystal.
"You see this?" he asks. "This is Qui-Gon's kyber crystal. Its energy is strong and filled with the light side of the Force."
"It's green," I notice, pulling out my kyber crystal, which is a clear color. "Why is it green?"
"Kyber crystals can have different colors depending on what type of Jedi the user would turn out to be. Qui-Gon was a Jedi Consular, and as such he and other Consular's like him spent a great deal of time studying the Force, and preferring to seek out diplomatic measures of peace, only drawing out their lightsabers as a last resort," he explains. "Most often a Consular wielded a green lightsaber."
"So what does my color make me?" I ask curiously, looking at my crystal.
"I'm not sure," Jarik replies with a shrug. "It could be that way because you practice the light side, and yet have no influence or real affiliation to the Jedi. Or your path hasn't been decided yet."
"So the crystal and lightsaber color determines what type of Jedi you become," I deduce with a frown, looking at my crystal. "That kind of seems dumb to not have a choice."
"That's because you're wrong," he states, much to my confusion. "Yes, a lightsaber color can typically be associated with a Jedi Class, but it isn't exclusive. My wife's original lightsaber blade was green, yet she's about as far from a Consular as you can get."
"You're wife…" I murmur quietly, still a little baffled at that. I don't know why I am, maybe it's because of what I know about Jedi from Qui-again and Katara. "What does she look like?"
"She's beautiful."
"Cool, but that doesn't answer the question."
"I know," he replies.
I roll my eyes in exasperation, preparing to ask Jarik about it more when he cuts me off.
"Anyways, back to the lightsabers. Like I said, the color can be influenced by Jedi Class, but it's not exclusive," he states.
I sigh in disappointment but focus back on the lesson. "This Jedi stuff is very confusing."
"Same could be said for a lot of things," he replies with an amused smile. "Now, Qui-Gon's lightsaber seems to be a good fit and has accepted you, but you can't ever gain complete harmony through the Force with it."
"Why not?" I ask him.
"Because this isn't your kyber crystal," he states. "It's not bonded to you because you aren't the user it chose."
"Are these crystals… sentient or something?" I ask with wide eyes, looking at mine.
"No, but they do carry a certain wisdom," Jarik tells me. "When Jedi younglings are ready for their own lightsabers they partake in a ceremony known as the Gathering. In special caves filled with kyber crystals, they have to find their crystal. It can't just be any crystal, it has to be one that responds to them, and accepts them as it's user."
"Is that why you want me to build my own lightsaber?"
"Yes. You already have a kyber crystal that is connected to you," he replies.
"How will I get the things needed though?" I ask, looking down at the scattered lightsaber parts uneasily.
"I can provide that, but first I want you to practice with reassembling Qui-Gon's lightsaber. I'll demonstrate it for you."
Placing the crystal back on the ground with the parts, he closes his eyes and then raises his hands over it. The different lightsaber parts float gently into the air, and I watch in amazement as they move to take a general shape, slowly sliding into place. The kyber crystal floats into the center of the line of parts, which then slowly slide together, connecting seamlessly to recreate the lightsaber.
Jarik reopens his eyes and picks the lightsaber up from out of the air, while I watch in awe and wonder.
"It's not that complicated honestly," he shrugs. "Now you try it."
"I still don't know…"
"Try it," he says, pulling the saber apart again. "Everyone starts somewhere."
He lays the pieces on the ground, Qui-Gon's kyber crystal glowing green in the middle of the pile, and I look at it uncertainly before sighing.
Closing my eyes, I use the Force to sense the different pieces scattered in front of me, and then slowly lift them into the air. I remain still for a moment, and then lower the pieces back to the ground and open my eyes in exasperation.
"How am I supposed to figure out where certain pieces go?"
"You're thinking too hard. You have to feel for it," he replies. "Open yourself to the Force, and let it be your guide."
Frowning at the not-so helpful answer, I nevertheless close my eyes and try to do it again. Lifting up the pieces, I try following what he told me to do, and feel it with the Force. I can sense the energy of the crystal just fine, but everything else is still just a jumbled mess. Even so, I try and visualize how Jarik connected all of the parts, and shakily direct them into that formation.
Furrowing my brow in concentration, I try pushing the pieces closer together so that they'll remake the lightsaber.
"Don't think about it…" he says slowly.
Pushing the pieces closer together with the Force, they start to connect into the shape of a lightsaber, the crystal being covered. I slowly attempt to finish the process…
"Hey guys!"
I yelp in surprise at the sudden voice by my side, opening my eyes. My grip on the lightsaber is instantly lost, and it falls to the ground, clattering around in a fantastic array of lightsaber parts. Jarik sighs.
"Oh… bad time?" Korra asks sheepishly.
I whip around to glare at her in annoyance. "Korra! I was so close to finishing that!"
"Actually you were still crafting it wrong," Jarik replies calmly.
"What?!" I exclaim incredulously.
"Is there something you need Korra?" he asks politely.
"Oh, yeah. Tenzin just told me to tell you that Lin told him that she wants at least one of you to meet her, or preferably both of you," she explains.
I blink at the mouthful before putting together what she said. "What does she need to see us for?"
At that her expression becomes grim. "She's found more evidence of the Knights of Ren."
I widen my eyes and glance over at Jarik, who instantly becomes serious, narrowing his gaze thoughtfully and looking out at the city.
Agni Kai Triad Headquarters - Republic City
Korra, Jarik, Luon and I all made our way into the city where Lin wanted to meet us, finding the place to be in some old warehouse hidden away. Police officers were all around the building, some keeping citizens away from the crime scene while others were investigating: taking photos, writing down notes, etc.
Entering the warehouse, we find Lin standing closer to the center of operations, Tenzin apparently having already gotten here. The whole place looks like it's seen some sort of fight, judging by some of the ground being broken by an earthbender, and scorch marks from a firebender. Lin looks over at our arrival.
"Good, you made it," she says.
"Yeah, we did," I reply.
"You said there was evidence of the Knights of Ren being here?" Korra asks.
"Judging from the marks on people who were killed here," she explains.
"Killed?" I ask uneasily.
"This looks like a hangout of one of the bending triads," Luon observes.
"It was," Lin confirms.
"Where are the bodies?" Jarik asks.
"Over there," Lin says, pointing it out. "Lightsaber wounds straight through the chest on most of them."
Looking over to where Lin pointed it out, I notice the sight of a couple of dead people there, and glance away uneasily. I've seen bad stuff before, but all we've ever done is knock people unconscious. Korra remains close to me for comfort as we follow Jarik and Lin over to the sight.
"Do you have any idea of why the Knights of Ren would go after criminals?" Tenzin asks.
"I'm not sure," Jarik admits. "It could be they're trying to gain leadership over more people now that the Equalists are gone."
They reach the first body, and I notice the charred hole in his back. Jarik frowns, crouching done beside the dead man and analyzes the mark. He carefully flips the man over onto his back, getting a look at where the lightsaber most likely stabbed him from. The area around it is blackened and charred.
Korra, Luon and I all glance at each other uneasily, not too comfortable about the idea of being around a dead person.
Jarik reaches his left arm out and rubs it along the wound, picking up some burned ash left behind by the mark. As he does so, I realize his fingers are completely metal, much to my bewilderment and confusion, sensing the others realizing the same thing. Before we could comment though, he stands back up.
"This isn't a lightsaber wound," he states.
Questions about the metal hand falter as we realize what he said, and confusion runs through my mind.
"It's not?" I ask in surprise.
"No. A lightsaber blade cuts through anything, burning and disintegrating what it touches. But it does so cleanly," he explains. "This mark is messy."
"What could it be otherwise then?" Lin questions.
"A blaster," he replies.
"What's a blaster?" Korra asks.
"It's a small, hand-held ranged weapon. It generates plasma similar to a lightsaber, but without a kyber crystal the energy isn't stable enough to sustain. So the energy is expelled, shooting outwards at high velocity in a bolt of explosive plasma."
Jarik then frowns, looking down at the dead person.
"Why they would have blasters though is the real question."
"But it's still the Knights that did this," Lin states.
"I'm not so sure they did," he replies, much to our surprise. "They're definitely responsible for the addition of blasters, but I can't sense any trace of them being here. I can only assume they supplied some other group of criminals with them."
"That doesn't sound good," Korra remarks.
"No it doesn't," Lin states in agreement, a deep frown on her face. "Not only do we have to worry about two dangerous Force-users on the loose, but now they seem to be supplying criminals with weapons they've brought."
"What sort of triad group would do this much damage to another though?" Luon asks.
I glance around the place during the talking, for some reason my gaze being drawn towards a card laying on a table nearby. Using the Force, I pick up the card and observe it, noticing the shape of a Joker on the front.
"What's that?" Korra asks.
"Just some weird card," I shrug, about to drop it.
"What?" Lin asks sternly. "Let me see that."
Surprised by her reaction I hand over the card, and she takes one look at it before muttering an angry curse.
"What is it?" Tenzin asks.
"The Joker was behind this," she states angrily, and Tenzin frowns in worry.
"Who's the Joker?" I ask her.
"A new criminal boss that's sprung up recently. He's mostly just been targeting the other bending triads, leaving behind one of these every time," she explains, waving the card for emphasis.
"Well, if it's just criminals attacking criminals, then that's good right?" Korra suggests.
"Quite the opposite actually," Jarik replies. "Normally when a crime syndicate starts targeting others, it means they're trying to expand their numbers and territory. And if he's leaving behind a card every time, then it's a message meant to inspire fear."
Lin looks at Jarik in surprise before nodding in agreement. "That's exactly right."
"I'm betting the Messenger and this 'Vyra' person are trying to make another army for themselves or whatever," Luon says with a frown, crossing his arms.
"To try and take over the city again?" Korra sighs. "Great."
"If that was Vyra's only reason for building up forces, then she would've just brought in their entire fleet," Jarik says, bringing a hand to his chin.
"Hmm. So they have a different motive then," Tenzin deduces.
"Not that I'm complaining of course," I say with a nervous laugh, before looking at Jarik uneasily. "But, why wouldn't they do that?"
Jarik frowns thoughtfully, thinking for a moment.
"Snoke wants your planet's power, and his end goal to acquire it is through invasion. Amon was a means to an end, to rid the world of bending so that invasion would be easier," he explains. "But with him gone, they may be after something else. The only reason I can think of is that they're using criminals as a delaying tactic."
"If so, then it is a good strategy," Lin reluctantly admits. "Gathering up a huge criminal organization would make things really difficult on us. And without any knowledge on this 'Joker' guy, I have no idea how they'll act."
"So then we stop them from getting more people," Korra suggests, bashing her fist against her palm. "Find and arrest the triad gangs before they get to them."
"Won't be easy. The bending triads have been operating since the city was first built. They know how to stay hidden," Tenzin warns us.
"Well, me and Jarik could root them out, right?" I suggest with a grin. "We just do some 'Force sensing,' and then we can find them."
"Physical proof is needed for an arrest," Lin reminds me.
"Then we catch them in the act!" I state.
"I like it! Team Avatar is ready to take them down!" Korra declares confidently.
"I still don't fully approve of this whole 'vigilante' stuff. I don't care that you're the Avatar," Lin states with a grumble.
"And many of you are busy. Asami is working on her company, Bolin on the Fire Ferrets, and Mako is training to be a police officer. Not to mention, Korra, you and Caran still have a lot of training," Tenzin points out. "Airbending training, and Jedi training."
"I'm sure we could make some time for it," Korra says.
"Also as a suggestion Chief, we could work with the police force in finding gangs," Luon offers.
Lin raises an eyebrow and cross her arms, giving the three of us a critical look, while we send a hopeful and eager look back in her direction. Finally she sighs, slowly nodding her head.
"Fine. I can work with that, as long as you don't cause property damage," Lin states, giving Korra a look. "Again."
"Yes!" Korra, Luon and I all cheer happily.
I then glance over curiously at Jarik, seeing that he's still looking down at the body of the dead criminal.
"Hey Jarik, you want to join Team Avatar?" I ask him.
He glances back at me with a small smile, but shakes his head. "No thanks. I'm here mainly just to teach you what you need to know. I do have duties back with the New Republic. Unless Vyra and the Messenger make an appearance, I'm going to refrain from stepping in."
I slump my shoulders in disappointment, but nod in understanding of his points.
"Wait, does that mean you're leaving soon?" I ask worriedly.
"In a few days," he confirms. "But just for a week, and then I'll be back. Force knows my wife is getting impatient at this point."
A few of us smile at the joke, but otherwise don't say anything. Still, thinking back on something I noticed about him when he was analyzing the dead criminal, was that his hand seemed to be made of metal. I'd have to ask him about that, because surely he doesn't have a metal arm right? That's crazy stuff.
Although they do have super advanced technology... Agh, I don't know!
Air Temple Island - Republic City
"So you're bringing Team Avatar back to the streets to fight crime?" Jinora asks curiously.
"Heck yeah we are," I reply eagerly. "I have a good feeling about this. Rounding up a bunch of hoodlums to throw them in jail."
"Sounds kind of intense," Jinora admits, swinging her feet over the ledge we were sitting on. "I'm surprised my Dad is fine with it."
"Oh he definitely disapproved," I confirm with a nod. "Him and Beifong."
"What about Jarik? What'd he say?" she asks curiously.
I shrug in response. "He had no issue. I did ask if he wanted to join the team but, he turned it down. Said he's got stuff to do back out in space."
"He's leaving soon?" she asks in surprise. "I thought he was still training you!"
"It's not permanent, he'll be gone for only two weeks or something like that."
"Oh, ok," she replies. "I guess it's not a surprise that he has to do things out there... wherever 'there' is."
"Yeah..." I murmur, looking up at the sky.
"So, Jarik is married?" Jinora suddenly asks, looking at me with extreme interest.
"Huh? Oh, yeah, he's married," I tell her.
"Who's he married too? Do you know her name? What she looks like?" she asks in quick succession.
"Spirits, now you're starting to sound like Ikki!" I exclaim in bewilderment.
Jinora glances away sheepishly, her face turning a little bit red from embarrassment.
"Sorry," she apologizes. "But seriously, what is she like?"
"He is purposefully refusing to answer," I grumble, and she pouts in disappointment. "All he's said was 'she's beautiful,' and leaves it at that."
"So he's keeping all of that a secret?" she asks in disappointment, before he eyes light up. "That's sooo romantic!"
I glance at her incredulously from how she's swooning over that.
"Seriously?"
"Yeah!" she replies eagerly. "He wants to keep his wife's beauty a secret because he doesn't want to reveal his private life! He loves her sooo much, that he can't fathom the idea of betraying his love for her by describing her to other people!"
I give her a look. "Having you been reading that historical love saga thing again?"
"No! Well... maybe- no!" Jinora declares firmly. "Besides, you must be living through that right now huh?"
"W-what?!" I exclaim in bewilderment.
"Y'know, because of Korra and Luon!" she emphasizes.
"Oh... well, sometimes it does get annoying whenever she kicks me out of our room so they can hang out together," I reply with a glum expression. "Seriously, it's my room too, not just hers!"
I get a sense of curiosity from Jinora, and although she withholds from the question, I can still sense it quite clearly.
I widen my eyes in shock and look at her incredulously. "NO, they aren't 'making love' with each other!"
She blinks in surprise, completely startled and caught off guard.
"What?" she asks. "But I didn't say any-"
"You were thinking it!" I retort.
"Oh..." she mumbles, turning bright red in embarrassment.
"Seriously, what kind of crap do you read? You're Tenzin's kid for spirits sake!" I ask her, completely baffled.
"I kind of... read it without permission..." she mumbles. "Although my mom knows."
"I'm... not even gonna ask anymore..." I sigh helplessly, and she just shrugs in acceptance.
"Jinora, can you come here for a minute?" Pema's voice suddenly rings across the courtyard.
"Okay mom!" she calls back, looking at me. "See you later?"
I offer her a small smile and a shrug in response, and she hops off the ledge, skipping away. I watch her go before turning around, sensing a presence approaching me quickly. I widen my eyes in alarm as Naga comes barreling me off the ledge to lay me flat on the ground, where she starts to repeatedly lick my face.
"Ahh! Naga! Ok ok ok!" I cry out, struggling to shove her snout away. "Okay! Good to see you to!"
"Well you've certainly got your hands full," I hear Korra remark nearby.
"What's her deal?!" I ask loudly.
I'm still flat on my back, struggling to keep her head away from my face. Naga continues to growl/whine in protest, still desperate to keep licking my face while holding her paws on my chest to keep me down.
"Someone's been neglecting Naga," Korra teases.
"Ok, do you want to spend more time together Naga? Is that it? Do you hate being cramped on this island?" I ask quickly in exasperation.
Naga suddenly loses her interest in me and charges off, and moments later I hear Korra's yelp of surprise before the same thing happens to her. I roll over onto my stomach to see Korra in the same position I was just in, and get to my feet with a wide grin.
"Yeah! Someone has been neglecting Naga!" I laugh, unable to help myself.
"Okay girl, okay okay!" Korra pleads desperately. "Can you help get her off of me?"
I roll my eyes in exasperation, still laughing over the karma that just slapped Korra in the face, and then jog on over. I'm by Naga's side in an instant, wrapping my arms around her neck and scratching her fur.
"Oh Naga! Who's a good girl? You are!" I coo at her.
She whines happily and moves away from Korra to accept my scratches instead, allowing my sister to get up.
"How about we go for a ride sometime later today, hmm?" I ask her.
"We know you want it," Korra adds, joining in on the other side of Naga.
The big cuddly polar bear dog wash her tail happily with her tongue lolling out of her mouth, clearly overjoyed by what we're saying. Once we've given her enough affection to satisfy her for the moment, she barks happily and rushes off into the trees, leaving me and Korra to sigh in relief.
"Thank the spirits," she remarks.
"Yeah. Wouldn't want her to be neglected, right Korra?" I say teasingly.
"Hey, you neglected her too!" she argues.
"I'm not the one who got a slap of instant karma to the face," I retort with a smug grin.
"Fine, you win," she groans.
We continue to bicker with each other as we make our way to our room, acting like the annoying siblings we are. When we get there, the telephone ringing interrupts us just as I was about to deliver another remark. We pause, looking at it before slumping our shoulders.
"I'll go get it," she sighs.
All of a sudden she slaps me in the face before rushing over to the phone.
"Geez!" I exclaim incredulously.
I bring a hand to my cheek, wincing from the stinging pain while she just laughs. She then picks up the phone and brings up the earphone and mouthpiece.
"Hello? Oh, hey Tenzin … Yeah we're free at the moment … What for? … Where are we going to meet you? … Okay, see you later."
She hangs up the phone, a thoughtful expression on her face.
"What'd he want?" I ask her.
"Tenzin wants us to get the team together and meet him at City Hall. Mako, Jarik, and Beifong are already there," she explains.
"What's Mako doing with them?" I ask in confusion.
"He's a police officer now, remember?" she reminds me.
"Oh, right."
Republic City Hall - Republic City
Having gotten Luon, Asami and Bolin, we made our way to City Hall in a new Satomobile. Thankfully, Asami had the foresight to get a car could carry six people, so I would no longer have to embarrass myself from sitting on Korra's lap every time we drove. It's not as maneuverable as the previous car, but if Team Avatar is going to be driving around a city, this is the one that we need, since Team Avatar is six people, not four.
Parking on the side of the street right in front of City Hall, we get out of the car to see Mako waiting for us. It's now late afternoon so the light is a bit dimmer, and the streetlights have no come on.
"Hey bro," Bolin greets, getting out. "Nice uniform."
"Thanks," he replies, glancing at it. "Standard issue, although no metal gauntlets."
I could tell he was slightly disappointed about not having cool gauntlets, but in the end he'd rather not have them. We begin our walk across the courtyard towards City Hall.
"Well, it's not like you're a metalbender," Luon comments.
"Are there even any police officers who aren't metalbenders?" Korra asks.
"Before you joined I thought you had to metalbend in order to be a cop," I admit.
"Yeah, it's pretty much just metalbenders," Mako confirms.
"Well doesn't that make you a special one," Asami teases.
A sudden cold wafting over me was the only warning I got, chilling me to the bone. I look up with wide eyes, spotting a dark figure leaping down from the top of City Hall. A glowing red lightsaber was clenched in their hands.
"Look out!" I exclaim in a panic.
I managed to push Korra out of the way, and the others just barely leapt to the side when the figure struck the ground with their lightsaber. I rolled to my feet and pulled out my green lightsaber, the others readying themselves as well. Fire forms on Korra and Mako's fists, Bolin gets into an earthbending stance, and Luon and Asami get into battle stances, staying further away out of caution.
The dark figure slowly stands up, and I instantly realize that this is not the Messenger, but someone else. They seem like a woman, and a very tall woman at that, but their skin is yellow, and two strange… tentacle things are hanging from her head. Her lightsaber hilt seems more like a staff, and a crackling red blade stuck out one end. It doesn't take a genius to realize that this is most likely Vyra Ren.
"You are the ones who defeated one of my Knights?" she speaks, her voice a scratching hiss.
She turns her head, and I shiver fearfully as those chilling, evil yellow eyes land on me.
"I expected more," she says in amusement.
"Oh yeah? We'll show you that when we pummel you like we did the Messenger!" Korra retorts, sounding a lot braver than any of us felt.
Vyra laughs in a response that's clearly meant to be mocking, sounding like a cackling witch.
"He is far below me little girl," she scoffs.
And then she strikes. I barely even saw it coming.
Vyra lunges forwards at me and Korra, kicking my sister in the face while also swinging her crackling, unstable looking lightsaber in my direction. I just barely raise my lightsaber to block it before our sabers connect, and then she backhands me in the face. I'm slammed into the ground from the hit with a pained groan, while Korra was sent flying several feet away from the kick.
Bursts of fire from Mako shoot for Vyra, but she evades them like a speed demon, without a care. Bolin sends two boulders flying at her, but she casually raises an arm to halt their advance, and sends them hurtling back in his direction. He and Mako both yelp in surprise and jump out of the way, the rock explosion sending them tumbling to the ground.
Getting to my feet, I raise my lightsaber and attempt to slice her back, but she whips around and deflects my lightsaber easily. She delivers two speedy strikes that I barely manage to block, and then in a simple move twists my lightsaber out of my grip, disarming me. She kicks me in the chest, and I stumble onto the ground in fright.
Korra gets back into the action, charging at Vyra with a yell and throwing large streams of fire. Vyra blows the fire away with a few waves of her arms, and then throws one of Bolin's projectiles with a flick of her finger. Korra just punches through the boulder, but she's suddenly gone from her sight when the dust clears. Vyra then appears to have jumped behind her, and swings her lightsaber with the intent to kill.
Getting back up, I thrust out my arms and blow a powerful Force push, managing to catch Vyra off guard. It blows into her, but to my disbelief she just goes along with it, landing on the ground with a graceful flip. She does look momentarily surprised though, before frowning.
"So you do have some skill," she muses with a hiss.
Having been out of the fight so far, Asami and Luon both use this to their advantage in an attempt to blindside Vyra. However she just thrusts her arm out at them, and they're both blown back from a powerful Force push, slamming against one of the columns of the building with pained cries, and collapsing to the ground.
"Luon!" Korra cries out fearfully.
Vyra then thrusts her arms out at me and Korra, and black-colored Force lightning streams from her fingertips, catching us both completely off guard. We're too shocked to prepare ourselves, and before we could move the lightning slams into us.
I scream in pain as the lightning burns my skin, while at the same time also being sent hurtling into a column. Korra hits the wall right beside me, and just as quickly as it happened, the lightning goes away. The stone actually cracked on our impact, and the signs of burning were evident with how our clothes and skin were smoking, leaving me groaning in pain.
Looking up through my daze, I spot Mako and Bolin once again preparing to go on the assault against Vyra, when a familiar figure suddenly jumps down out of nowhere, punching the latter in the head. He's thrown against the wall, the punch probably enhanced by the Force, and Mako only has a moment to look around in surprise before the Messenger also throws him away with a Force push.
Spotting my lightsaber nearby, I call it back over to me with the Force and slowly get to my feet, turning it on with heaving breaths. Korra is knocked out beside me, the other four also lying unconscious against the wall or a nearby column. Despair and helplessness washes over me as I watch Vyra and the Messenger advance forwards, their yellow eyes gleaming with sickening delight.
"Looks like you still have much to learn little one," Vyra smirks in amusement.
"He can learn that right after I beat his skull in," Messenger scoffs, snapping his lightsaber to life with a sharp hiss.
I grimace in pain, struggling not to flinch as every movement feels like I'm jumping into salt water with a massive sunburn. The pair of dark Force users slowly advance on me, and I shakily keep my green lightsaber held at my side. Just as I think they're about to attack, a warm and comforting presence in the Force gains my attention, and they both stop as well.
The doors of City Hall are slowly pushed open, allowing for golden light to spill out and into the dim sky, illuminating the figure walking out. Vyra and the Messenger both widen their eyes in surprise, and to my bewilderment there's even a hint of fear in them, although Vyra scowls hatefully to try and cover it up.
I look back to see the silhouette of a man walk through the doors, and then smile in relief as I recognize it as Jarik. He stops after walking a few feet, staring at the Knights of Ren with a stern gaze. After a few moments he pulls one of his lightsabers into his hand with the Force, the golden blade flaring brilliantly to life, and then twirls it into a ready stance, pointing it forwards with two fingers on his other arm outstretched.
"Jarik Shan," Vyra hisses furiously. "Must you meddle in everything?!"
"You only have Snoke to blame. He's the one who revealed himself to me when I was a kid," Jarik replies with a smirk.
"You will still die regardless!" she growls.
"Caran, you get the others out of here. Tenzin and Lin will help you," Jarik tells me firmly.
"R-right," I reply, and he smiles at me reassuringly.
Vyra and the Messenger both tense up, angling their lightsabers into ready stances, her blade still crackling in that weird, unstable appearance. I then gape in shock and nervousness when a second blade shoots out the other end, giving her a double-bladed lightsaber. At least the Messenger appears more subdued and uneasy in his movements.
Jarik smirks at them, the appearance of a double-bladed lightsaber doing nothing to unsettle him, and then leaps into action. I watch him jump into the air, a sense of awe filling me as he shoots down towards the two dark Knights, slashing his lightsaber when he gets close enough. At the same time as his slash he performs a flip to land on the ground behind them. Vyra and the Messenger deflected his first strike, the latter swinging his blade at him. Jarik whips around to block his attack, shoving away the Messenger's saber in a way that causes it to stop Vyra's attack as well.
I was completely in awe of that.
"Caran!"
I look over to see Tenzin and Lin rushing out, the latter instantly going to help the others while Tenzin waves me over.
"Come on, we have to help them up!" he urges.
Remembering their condition, I deactivate my lightsaber and grab Korra underneath her shoulders. She groans as I attempt to lift her up, and I grimace in annoyed exasperation, finding myself to weak to do more than drag her. Thankfully, Tenzin helps me out by also moving to lift Korra. The three of us work to bring the others into City Hall while the lightsaber fight rages on.
Jarik POV…
Facing these two Knights of Ren, I back up slowly as they go onto the attack, letting them think that they're pressuring me. Vyra strikes with a lot more grace, skill, and power, while the Messenger just tries to use his brute Force, not nearly as skilled in his attacks. I bat my single lightsaber in between them in a constant repetitive blocking style as I back up, luring them in.
I then duck under a swipe from Vyra and kick her in the chest to knock her to the ground. With her momentarily stopped, I turn my focus to Messenger and go onto the offensive. I easily strike past his defense and twist our blades to send his flying from his grasp, and then swing my left arm to deliver a painful punch to his face. There's a quiet clang as my metal fist collides with him, knocking him out cold onto the ground.
Vyra shrieks like a nightsister and then lunges forwards, striking down furiously with her saberstaff. I quickly evade her next few swings and then block one strike, kicking her away again.
She rolls backwards into a crouch and glares up at me with hateful eyes, while I continue to smile at her. Bringing up her lightsaber, she then splits the handle in half, making two lightsabers; what really surprises me is when the top few inches of the blade emitters separate from the main body of the the hilt. Some sort of chain about a foot long connects the blade emitter to the rest of the hilt, and she slashes them along the ground like two whips, the crackling blades tearing up the concrete.
"Huh. Well that's new," I admit.
"New enough to remove your head!" she seethes.
In a flash she leaps from the ground and twirls through the air, spinning her lightsabers around in chaotic swirls. But I've fought much faster Sith before, and backflip out of the way as they strike the ground. Looking up from the ground, I swing my lightsaber to bat away the flailing lightsabers, which she continues to slice and twirl with immense skill.
Her completely new style of saber fighting catches me off guard to the point where she manages to slip past my defense and deliver a few kicks to my legs, body, wherever. I'm still deflecting her lightsabers, but she's completely free to kick me. It's either I let her hit me and block the lightsabers, or I block her kicks and then get sliced up.
Our fight had now transitioned to between the wall and columns of City Hall, with her continuously advancing. When she finally kicks me in the head to send me stumbling back, I crouch along the ground with an irritated frown, getting a lot more serious. Pulling out my second lightsaber, I allow Revan's mask to snap into place over my head, and then turn back around to face Vyra.
She swings her sabers again, but I shy away from one and then duck underneath the other. Popping back up, I jump above her foot as she lashes out, and then kick her in the chest in retaliation. She stumbles into a column, and then thrusts her sabers out again. I weave in between them and then smack the crackling red blades to the side, lunging forwards. Vyra snaps her lightsaber flails back into two regular blades in order to block my overhead swing. I press down on her with my lightsabers, and she scowls at me before glancing to the side, a small smirk on her face.
Sensing the Messenger approaching, I glance back at him and then backflip away, avoiding an attempted stab from him. I twirl my lightsabers around to hold them in a Jar'Kai stance Ahsoka would be proud of, and wait for them to strike.
I don't have to wait long, as they both leap into action with a quick ferocity. I duck and weave between their blows, deflecting and blocking their lightsabers just as fast, resulting in a whirlwind of gold and red colors. We're all moving so fast that other people probably would barely be able to make out our forms, because we're enhancing our speed with the Force. However I can do so much more.
Reylea increases my power a hundredfold. Time to actually use it, and end this.
Flipping away from in between the Knights of Ren, I deactivate my lightsabers and turn to face them, letting my power grow. Vyra senses my intent and backs off uneasily, but the Messenger foolishly leaps at me, thinking he can strike me with my guard down, or so he thought. Without a though I thrust my arm out, and the Messenger finds himself slammed against a column within milliseconds, cracking the stone. He probably didn't even realize how he fell unconscious.
Vyra growls in rage and thrusts her fingertips out, shooting massive wreaths of Force lightning, powerful enough to startle even Darth Sidious: If it wasn't for Reylea.
I raise my right hand and block the lightning with a Force shield, absorbing it. I slowly move forwards, pushing against the lightning while she tries to overpower me. The area around us flashes brightly from the Force lightning, striking all around me and breaking the building, but never harming me. Finally reaching Vyra, I casually pull my right hand back and then smack her in the head with a backhand, sending her stumbling.
She backpedals with a grunt of pain, before swinging around with a lightsaber flail at my neck, moving faster than the eye could see. Even so, I raise my left arm and grasp her lightsaber with my metal hand. Not the lightsaber hilt, but the blade itself. Vyra's eyes widen in shock, and I lean closer, shoving her blade down with my arm's enhanced strength.
"What's wrong? Never dealt with some beskar before?" I ask sarcastically.
After the Galactic Civil War, I decided to remake my arm with beskar, otherwise known as Mandalorian iron. It can resist lightsaber strikes, which is why Mandalorian's use it for the armor, although prolonged exposure to a lightsaber still would melt it. Letting go of the blade to prevent it from melting my hand, I instead head-butt her, a metallic clang ringing from the impact thanks to my mask. She stumbles again, and I grip her arm before throwing her into the column to land beside the Messenger, who slowly begins to wake up. Walking up to them, I activate a single lightsaber and point it at the pair, letting my mask dissolve to reveal my glare.
"You're beaten, Knights of Ren," I state firmly.
Vyra looks up at my lightsaber, scowling with hate. The Messenger looks at me just as angrily, but is showing more fear in his expression. I glance to the side upon noticing the approach of the others, seeing that they've all regained consciousness, although some hold their sides or wherever due to being bruised or hurt. They stand a few feet behind me, and I return my focus to the Dark Knights, finding Vyra hissing at me.
"You're not the only one who displays fancy skills Shan," Vyra mocks.
I narrow my eyes at her, and then she begins to wave her arms around, chanting something low under her breath. To my surprise, clouds of black smoke billow out from her movements, black lightning streaking through it. She thrusts the cloud of dark side sorcery at me, and I create a Force shield to protect myself and the others. The black lightning cloud shoves and shrieks against me, forcing me back several feet. Calling upon the light side of the Force, I swipe my arm and cut through the black cloud with a mixture of golden lightning and Force energy. When the cloud dissipates, Vyra and the Messenger are nowhere to be found. I cast out my senses with the Force to try and find them, but they're cloaked in the Force, leaving no trace of their presence.
"Where'd they go?" Caran asks in a panic.
"Gone," I state, deactivating my lightsaber with a frown, mulling over what I just witnessed. "Some form of sorcery to help their escape."
"What, you mean they teleported or something?" Korra asks incredulously.
"I doubt it. A person can do many things with the Force, but teleportation isn't one of them," I reply, shaking my head. "That was just a distraction to slip away."
"Will they be back?" Asami asks.
"After this they'll be a lot more wary, working from the shadows. But you've proven a huge threat to their success, so they will try this again," I say grimly.
"Aw, let 'em come. You just kicked their butts! That was awesome!" Bolin exclaims. "You were like 'zoom, whish-whish-whooosh,' lightsaber SLICE!"
He emphasizes his sound effects with exaggerated motions, popping around the group comically while pretending to wave a lightsaber, and then slicing his arms across.
"Ok, I think we get it bro," Mako says, laying a hand on his shoulder.
"That was cool though," Luon adds in agreement.
"You all still need to learn how to better combat them though. I can't be around forever," I tell them.
Caran nods his head, and I can see some of the others want to say something before Lin interrupts us.
"Unfortunately this discussion will have to wait," she states impassively. "Looks like people saw what happened."
We all look to the side to see some groups of people in the open courtyard in front of City Hall, looking at us. I can sense a mixture of surprise, confusion, fear, wonder, and mistrust. Most of that directed to me, and I don't blame them. Thanks to the Messenger they haven't had the best of experiences with Force users. A small number of people are also taking pictures with huge, flashing cameras that I can't help but frown at. Those things are really ancient in my opinion, honestly. They can even be held in one hand!
"Great. Now the media is going to be speculating nonsense," Luon sighs.
"I doubt much of it will be supportive," Tenzin says, glancing at me. "You should probably stay out of view for now."
"We'll also have to make a public statement about you now that your presence is known. Otherwise suspicion will only grow," Lin adds firmly.
"So… we're telling everyone all about the Jedi and stuff now?" Caran asks.
"Probably for the best. Your people are wary of Force users right now," I reason. Noticing a few people who look like reporters hastily approaching, I decide to make my exit. "Yeah I'm heading inside. I don't fancy talking to those guys."
Lin and Tenzin also notice, so they move to confront the growing crowd of people and reporters wanting questions while I make my way inside with the kids.
I will have to leave in a few days and get back to the New Jedi Order, since things are growing more heated now between us and the New Republic. The Republic has had no military, and urges keep the Jedi separated from government affairs despite our attempts to reason with them against that. And with of the rise of a new faction known as the First Order, they don't want to risk another war or risk government corruption like what Palpatine did. But Ahsoka and I have no doubt that Snoke is behind the First Order's rise, so they'll attack regardless.
It'll be the Taken War all over again.
For now though, keeping watch over Reylea is high on my to-do list. Snoke has his gaze on the planet, and Team Avatar isn't ready yet for another battle against the Dark Knights, specifically Vyra. Caran needs more training, especially considering how limited his strength in the Force actually is.
I just hope Vyra doesn't decide to strike again during my absence.
Wow, intense chapter for sure! The Knights of Ren ambushes the team! Good thing Jarik was here, or else things would've been bad.
His entrance purposefully mirrors Ahsoka's when she fought the two Inquisitors. That scene (and music) is epic. Also, Vyra has some strange lightsabers for sure! They're like medieval flails, and the blade itself is still straight, so it isn't a lightwhip. Dangerous stuff.
Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and there's still more to come. Caran still has yet to talk to Jarik about what he learned from Qui-Gon, with Reylea having different realms! :O
Also... the Joker will be entering the picture soon.