Padme was still worried about Lirlia. Yoda said that he'd take her to the Jedi Temple, but she thinks that Lirlia needs something else rather than going back into solitude. She knows that the Council will lock Lirlia into the Jedi Temple, not allowing her to go in search of that equipment. Lirlia told Padme about her dreams after telling them to Yoda. Padme wanted to help, but she can't help her friend is she doesn't know where to start. The best course of action in her mind is to take her to a peaceful place. A new place where she can think of something else. That's why she contacted a friend and managed to convince her to allow Lirlia going into the city with her weapon. Especially after what she needed to do in order for Lirlia to attend to that gala.
She approached her room, but before she could knock, the door opens, revealing Lirlia.
"Padme! I didn't think you'd come here." The young Hunter states surprised to see her friend outside her room.
Padme smiled. "Well, I was about to knock on your door."
"What for?"
"I'd like to take you a place where you can relax. Away from politics and the war. We are going to Mandalore."
"Mandalore? That the home of Duchess Satine, right?"
Padme was impressed that she'd remember Satine but nodded anyway. "Yes, indeed. So, would you like to go?"
"I don't know. Master Yoda recommended that I return to Coruscant."
"I mean, if that's what you want, but I'd suggest you stay away from Coruscant for a few days. The least I want is for you to be stressed. You've been feeling down ever since that episode."
Lirlia looked down. "Sorry…" she quietly said.
"Hey, it was not your fault, ok?" she placed a hand on Lirlia's armoured shoulder. The girl smiled and hugged her, which Padme returned.
"I'd like to go. I was going to tell Master Yoda that I don't want to return to Coruscant yet."
"Then let's go, shall we?" Lirlia nodded. They walked to the landing bay, where his ship was located. There he is waiting for her.
"Morning, Lirlia. Sleep well, did you?"
"A bit, yes." She stated. She looked around, her arms behind her back, she was tightening and loosening her hands, trying to think how to speak with the Jedi Master.
"Master Yoda, I…" Lirlia started. She took a deep breath before speaking again. "I'd like to stay away from the Jedi Temple for a few more days, if that's ok."
"Hmm… an adult, are you not?" he chuckled as Lirlia blushed in embarrassment. "Forcing you to return to the Jedi Temple, I will not. Wanting you to return, I would like, but, the decision, yours only is."
She nodded. "Then, I shall go to Mandalore with Padme."
He nodded. "Very well. Tell the Council I will. But, if something about the Force happens, return to the Jedi Temple you must."
"Understood." They bid farewell to the green master, and they prepared their journey to Mandalore.
As they travel towards Mandalore, Padme taught her about some other games she just got her hands on. It was a pleasant time for them, quickly learning the rules, Lirlia managed to beat Padme when she got extremely focused on her turn, always exploring, and observing how Padme would react and answer whenever she made her move.
As they slept, Lirlia was turning around in her sleep. Restless, chaotic images flew through her mind. A man screams as he burns in the lava. A world destroyed by a green laser. Another young man screaming as he was electrocuted. A black figure burned in fire. But then, it changed to a reflection of herself. Her eyes widened at her own reflection. It only showed her head and neck, with a bit of her bare shoulders and clavicle, but her eyes were yellow, veins visible from the skin under her eyes as the scenery behind her was only fire and destruction, with people she knows and cares about laying on the ground. Dead. Her reflection smiles wickedly, her eyes showing madness.
Before she could think of something else, the mirror broke, and she fell to darkness. Her vision than showed an orange ship flying towards a destroyed city with a creature attacking anything that it came to its way, swinging its tail, breathing fire, sending electricity, and much more. A lone figure with a long white sword on their hands observed how the creature destroyed the city before jumping off the orange ship that they were standing to face off the creature.
A loud explosion…
...and a woman's scream.
The same white sword impaled on the ground slowly breaking before dissolving in the air.
Lirlia woke up gasping for air. Unlike the previous dreams from she wakens from, this time she got better at controlling her reaction.
"W… what those dreams mean?"
"The thin balance between the Primal Force and the Force is no longer stable." A voice spoke in front of her. Looking forward, she saw a First Wyverian standing over the bed. "The change is making you have these dreams. Or visions? It is hard to tell."
"What… what will happen?"
"Hmm… since the frail balance has been broken, the future is mostly uncertain. You were showed what can happen. But do not be surprised if you start seeing things from your world coming to this timeline."
"How can that be possible? Am I not older than the Force?"
"Anything is possible with the Force, Hunter. But… mix the Primal Force's chaotic estate and the Force's current flow of the Living Force and the United Force, then you have a mess regarding about time and space continuum." He explained, surprisingly, Lirlia understood it. But…
"Wait, I was told that four Dragons from my world will come. How is it that it has already started?"
"The Dragons shall come, true, but only when your strength improves." The Wyverian stated. "But… it does not mean that other creatures will appear from your world. Be prepared for battle, Hunter, because you will need to fight."
Lirlia sighed. "How am I supposed to get in time to where those monsters will appear?"
"The disturbance follows you, for you are the disturbance itself, Hunter."
Lirlia looked down, thinking. When she looked up, the First Wyverian was not there anymore. Looking to the clock, she realized that it still early. Sighing, she got dressed, put her Bowgun on her back and started the console to play a bit, deep in thought.
The next morning, they arrived at Mandalore. Padme told her that she'd love it, but they got a bit of trouble with the guards about her Heavy Bowgun.
"No weapons are allowed in Mandalore." The guard said.
"I have the Duchess' permission to wear it." Padme stated. "Besides, Duchess is also expecting her into the palace."
"I am sorry, Senator Amidala, but the rules states that no weapons should enter the city. They need to be left into the lockers." He gestured to said lockers, which they did not give Lirlia much trust. Unconsciously, she changed her pose to a more defensive one.
"I am not leaving my Heavy Bowgun there." Lirlia stated. 'This place shall attract many that want my weapon. I cannot let that to happen.'
"Look miss, I do not make the rules. Now, if you would please sign these-"
"If it's Miss Lirlia, then she can enter with her weapon." Satine's voice came from behind the man. The guard looked behind him, shocked to see the Duchess here.
"Duchess! But the rules state that-"
"I know what the rules states. But Lirlia here can have an exception for the rule. She is justified."
The guard stuttered, but relented, not wanting to defy the Duchess.
"Padme contacted me beforehand. Glad you arrived safely." Satine smiled to Lirlia, who now relaxed a bit.
"Thank you, Duchess."
"It's no problem at all. Padme also told me about how protective you are over your armor a weapon. And being honest, I believe anyone would act the same way."
Lirlia smiled. "Well then, let's go, shall we?"
The guard looked at the three women's backs along with Satine's personal guards as they left the landing zone. He took a commlink and spoke to someone.
Yoda was walking around the gardens with a thoughtful look on his face. He sighed, not knowing what to think. Ever since the Force showed him Lirlia's world, and what the creatures could do, he was filed with concern. The creatures there are nothing like any other animals they have knowledge of. And each can use the Force in many ways, that only machinery or Jedi or Sith can barely achieve. He fears if they faced such creatures in this time without Lirlia.
But the most intriguing thing to him, was the voice that spoke to him in Naboo… it is still a mystery to him. The voice sounded wise and old.
"Hmm… meant for what, Lirlia is, I wonder?" he asked aloud.
"Lirlia is meant for what, Master Yoda?" Anakin spoke behind him. Yoda turned around to see Anakin, Ahsoka and Obi-Wan walking to him.
"Deep in thoughts, I was. Heard a voice one or two days ago I did."
"Heard a voice? What kind of voice-" Obi-Wan's voice was cut off by someone.
"Chaos has started. The veil between the Force and the Primal Force has started to break. Be careful, for the ones coming from the ancient past."
The four Jedi activated their blades as their senses were filled with an ominous feeling. Looking around, they searched for the source of the voice. It came from up the tree.
"The Jedi surely are something. They have eyes, but are blind, they have ears, but are deaf. They can use the Force but ignore its calls and warnings. No wonder they did not feel the changes that happened ever since the Hunter arrived." Looking up, they saw a small man with something in its head. He was holding a small branch, but big enough for him, and a big leaf was sheltering him from the sun.
"Who are you?" Ahsoka spoke first, keeping her lightsabers pointing to him. Yoda only deactivated his lightsaber before walking to the man.
"Me? I am just a being born from the Force and the Primal. A beacon. A guide for the Last Hunter. She needs to stop the storms that shall arrive to this unprepared galaxy. The power of the Force is not enough. Keep the balance, maintain life, get stronger. Those are the Last Hunter's objectives." The man stated.
"To defeat Dragons, Lirlia spoke once."
"4 Dragons shall appear here. The Last Hunter must defeat them. But she is not strong enough. However,… I fear that the veil between the Force and Primal is getting blurrier as time passes by. A fight she will fight soon. Death shall follow her. Her strength will be tested. I wonder if her will shall remain strong."
"To help her, how can we?" Yoda asks.
"Nothing of this era can help her. Prepared for the creatures arriving… this galaxy is not." The small man spoke the same way as him. Yoda understood it as a way of mocking him. He then pointed the branch to Yoda.
"The Jedi's arrogance is the source of your inability to sense the Force. Even the Hunter, who cannot use the Force as you, listens to it, with all her limitations and incompatibility from the Force and the Primal Force." He shook his head, taking the branch to him again. "And that arrogance is the reason why you did not sense the Sith arriving once again."
They heard fast steps approaching. Plo Koon and Mace Windu run to them.
"We sensed a great disturbance here." Koon stated.
"Sensing a small disturbance, and I have some of the 'Great Jedi Council' on me?"
"And who are you?" Mace Windu asked, taking his lightsaber from his belt.
"Resorting to violence, even though I have not done anything wrong?" the wyverian chuckled. "You surely don't live up to your reputation of peacekeepers. How apathetic you were to prevent the War from happening is proof enough."
Before Mace or Koon could say something, Yoda spoke.
"Primal Force, what is?"
"The first awakening of the Force as you know it. But it was chaotic. With no Will. Thanks to that chaos, creatures evolved to use different strengths and powers. Thunder, Ice, Fire, Water, Dragon, Nitro, Venom, Invisibility, Wind. They could manipulate one, two or even three of those. Hunters were born to fight them, and they learned how to wield the same powers as the creatures, Monsters, the Hunters called them, could do. But now… those strengths are no longer here, nor the knowledge to achieve them. Help the Hunter. Protect her. Or she will become the destruction of the Force and everything you hold dear." A loud thunder cut the sky, taking the Jedi off guard. When they looked again to where the Wyverian was, they found no one.
Sidious sensed it. A disturbance in the Force coming from the Jedi Temple. But it wasn't like anything he's ever felt. Staring at the window to the Jedi Temple, trying to understand what it was. He only got a feeling that it was an ancient being, from an ancient power but also with a mixture of the Force.
"What…"
"Even if you try to understand, you will get no answer."
Instantly summoning Sith Lighting, Sidious turned around and attacked the source of the voice. When he stopped, he saw a small man with a branch on his hands standing in the middle of the room.
"Sith Lord, I see. Yet, in front of the unknown, you act first, then think. I wonder if you truly are the Sith Lord the Jedi are looking for to defeat."
Sidious tried to use the Dark Side of the Force to choke the man in front of him. He mocked him and that is punished by death. But, to his horror, he got no answer from the Dark Side.
"You cannot defeat me, Sidious. You never will. Nor can you defeat the Hunter."
"And how is that so?" Sidious decided to use diplomacy in this case. The man knows about Lirlia, and he must get answers. One way or another.
"She's faced with stronger and faster opponents than any Jedi, Sith or living creatures of this era." He pointed his branch to him. "This is but a suggestion. Stop trying to understand what belongs to the past. You will only get burn."
Sidious had enough. He summoned lighting again to kill the man. But the man only stood there, unmoving. When Sidious stopped again, the man only chuckled.
"And you call yourself the Lord of Sith? Yet you cannot control yourself when facing frustration." The man mocked him. Sidious calmed himself first, already knowing that he cannot injure the man.
Before the Sith could do something else, the man disappeared from his sight. Sidious sat down again on his chair, trying to understand who the man was.
He surely knows Lirlia, that's a fact. But also seems extremely wise.
Frustrated, Sidious arranged an opera turn to think of something else.
Satine and Padme brought Lirlia to Satine´s office. In there, Satine suggested many places to go and relax. Padme filled Satine a bit of what happened a few nights ago, so their goal is to help Lirlia to relax. As they discussed things, Lirlia's sharp ears caught a strange sound. A rhythmic sound. That started to get faster and faster. Her sixth sense warned her of something. Something bad. She needed to act now.
"Watch out!" Lirlia screamed as the bomb went off. Instinctively, she jumped in front of both Satine and Padme, took her Heavy Bowgun from her back faster than she's ever done before and aimed to the source of the explosion, receiving the blast. The only thing in her mind was 'Must protect them!'. The immense heat coming from the explosion was redirected to the sides by her Gun's shield, protecting everyone present in the room. The explosion burned and destroyed everything in a range of over 10 meters, but not Lirlia's Heavy Bowgun nor armor, which they withstand the wave, protecting and saving Padme and Satine.
"Are you ok?!" Lirlia looked behind her. She sighed in relief at the sight of her friends not getting serious scratches, only a few small burns across their clothes and hair.
"We… we are fine, Lirlia." Satine was the first to speak as she shakily stood.
Padme stood as well, helping Satine to her feet. "Indeed. We are ok, Lirlia."
"What happened?" Before Satine could get an answer, commotion was heard outside the room. Security guards and the captain of the guards entered the room. They say Lirlia with her weapon unsheathed, and immediately aimed their weapons at her.
"Drop your weapon, now!" the captain said. "I knew we should not have let you enter our home with that!"
"Calm down, captain. Lirlia here protected me and Padme." Satine spoke for Lirlia, knowing fully well that the girl was not at fault.
"My lady! Are you alright? Bring a doctor now!"
"We are fine, thank you. But you are misunderstanding things here. Lirlia protected us. She never harmed me in any way."
"But she has her weapon now in her-"
"Because in order to use the shield, I need to take it from my back, Captain." Lirlia explained.
He observed her, still not trusting her. "Besides, even if you try, there is nothing you can do that can harm me."
The man wanted to speak up, but Satine interrupted him. "Right now, we need to get out of here. This was an attempt against my life, and I'm not feeling safe here."
The man nodded. "Understood, my lady. We will take you out of here." More guards appeared and surrounded Satine and Padme as they escorted them to the safe room.
"Lirlia, I need you to stay vigilant. Please, accompany us."
"With pleasure." She stated as she kept looking around in case of something happens.
Half an hour later, Satine and Padme were wearing clean clothes. The doctor stated that they only suffered small burns, nothing too serious. Lirlia refused to get checked, claiming that that explosion wasn't enough to harm her, even though the room they were in was destroyed.
"Who did that?! Just you wait until I get my hands on them! I will not hold anything back from my Heavy Bowgun!" Lirlia was pacing around, furious at what just happened earlier. Satine and Padme observed her pacing around the room, worried since small objects started to shake, some even were lifted off their place into the air a few centimetres.
"Lirlia, calm down. We still are-" Padme's voice fell on deaf ears as Lirlia turned around to her.
"Calm down?! Someone tried to kill Satine, and you are telling me to 'calm down'? how can you be so calm about this, Padme!" the windows showed signs of breaking, albeit a bit.
"Because rushing around with an unclear mind will make you do mistakes and not reaching your goal, Lirlia." Padme hated having to increase the tone of her voice, but Lirlia's anger and unwillingness to listen is making her to reach her limit. Padme understands that Lirlia is furious, but she also needs to show the girl that in these situation, anger and violence is not the answer.
Lirlia was taken back by Padme's tone. It's the first time she's ever heard the Senator speaking like that, let alone toward her. At that moment, she realized how childish she is acting. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, calming her turmoiled mind.
"I'm sorry." She said after a few seconds. The objects that once moved, returned slowly to their place, safe from injuring anyone in the future.
Padme walked to Lirlia, only for Satine grabbing her arm and shaking her head. Padme sat down again as Satine walked to the Hunter instead.
"Lirlia, I know how you feel. I also am angry at this attempt to my life. But as Padme said, we cannot let our anger get the better of us now. Right now, we need to keep ourselves calm, and wait till the Guards and the Police determine what caused the explosion."
Lirlia only sank deeper into her shoulders, sitting down on the nearest chair. She knows that they are right. She doesn't even know who put the bomb.
'I really wish I can track them down.' she thought. As Padme and Satine spoke, she suddenly remembered something she's use many times in the past and scolded herself for not using it before.
"… Obi-Wan will come soon. He will help us with this situation."
"I'm such a fool!" Lirlia suddenly said, startling the older two women.
"Lirlia?"
"I completely forgot about my Scout Flies!" she said. As she said it, the greenish lamp she carries on her side suddenly lightens, and small green creatures came from it and surrounded the room before returning to the lamp.
"I thought it was only a lamp. You never told us about it being a nest." Padme stated.
"Well, with everything going on, I totally forgot about them. Especially since you have… um… other ways to illuminate during night."
"What are those?" Satine asked.
"Scout Flies. They can take in different smells and can remember them. If you need to investigate something, or to get a certain object, you show them the smell of it, and they will guide you. They also hide when danger is around. And are a great way to illuminate during nocturnal hunts. I can use them to see if I can track down the responsible of trying to kill you, Satine."
The two women looked at each other, before sighing smiling.
"Well, Obi-Wan is coming. We can ask him to help you in your investigation."
While Obi-Wan travelled, Lirlia took her time to examine the room with her Scout Flies. She looked for the pieces of the bomb, which was difficult to do since she hasn't seen the bomb. But after an hour or so searching, she found small pieces. In there, her Scout Flies identified two smells, which she followed. Satine gave the order to all guards around Mandalore that Lirlia has free passage in anywhere she needs.
As she followed her way around Mandalore, Obi-Wan arrived at the planet, and as soon as he landed, he was informed of the situation. He agreed to help and made his own investigation.
Both Jedi and Hunter made discoveries. Obi-Wan managed to get some truth out of a rogue Mandalorian that tried to run, only for Lirlia to paralyze him using her weapon.
"Wow, never thought you'd use your Bowgun."
"Well, my Scout Flies found his scent, and took me here."
"Scent? What?"
"I'll tell you later." She stated, looking to the man. "Who are you? Who send you to kill the Duchess?"
"As if I'd tell you anything."
"You-!"
"Lirlia, calm down. Let me try it." Obi-Wan calmed her. "Why did you target the Duchess?"
"Why should I tell you?"
Obi-Wan tried to convince the man to tell them who send him for a few minutes. The guards arrived and arrested him properly. When they said they were going to interrogate him, and at Obi-Wan's failed attempt to make him confess, Lirlia's patience reached its limit.
'Screw this and the main protocol. I want answers NOW.'
"Tell. Me. Who. Send. You." Lirlia spoke with such authority, that made the guards to flinch and to be on guard around her. Obi-Wan felt the Dark Side surrounding her.
"I will… not… tell… y-you…" The man tried to resist,
"Tell. Me. NOW!"
Ultimately, he revealed the information she wanted.
"D… Death… Watch…" he stated.
"Death Watch? What's that?" the answer shook Lirlia from her angered mood, replacing it with curiosity and thirst of battle.
"An organization that wants to take control of Mandalore. They claim that Duchess Satine's rule is not legal, and that they will bring back Mandalore's old glory." Obi-Wan explained her.
"So… they want to kill Satine to do so?"
"It seems so." Obi-Wan answered.
Lirlia stayed silent for a few moments. Meantime, the guards took the man away as Satine and Padme arrived.
"Are you all ok?" Padme asked. She saw Lirlia's face and did not like that look.
"Where is Death Watch?"
"In the Moon of Concordia. Why?" Satine answered.
"Let's pay them a visit." Lirlia stated.
"Wha- are you serious? They have weapons and are trained Mandalorians. They can fight head on with even some Jedi." Padme said, trying to calm the situation.
"They may have faced Jedi. But they have not faced me."
"Yes, and they'd get to know how you fight and how to counter you." Obi-Wan joined Padme.
"Pff. They'd only get to know one way of how a Hunter hunts. Remember that my Heavy Bowgun is one of the 14 weapons I know how to wield. They won't know how to counter the other 13 anyway. And if they somehow get to know, it'd be useless. A Hunter adapts to the situation." Lirlia countered.
The three of them realized that it's going to be impossible to convince Lirlia to let go of Death Watch.
"Let's go then." Satine said, taking both Padme and Obi-Wan by surprise. "If Lirlia wants to meet them, I don't see why we should deny this opportunity for her.
They made preparations rather fast. They boarded Obi-Wan's lend ship, the Twilight, and they made their way to the Moon of Concordia. Lirlia was both excited and upset. 'I will show them to never mess with a Monster Hunter.'
"Lirlia." Padme spoke to her.
"Yes?"
"I know you are upset. But please, leave the talk to us."
Lirlia looked at Padme and used the Senator's teachings against her. "And when am I going to apply what you taught me, Padme?"
Padme's face paled at Lirlia's answer/question. 'I taught her well. Too well.' "I mean, it's not wrong to speak on several occasions, but this time, is a delicate one. So, I ask you to remain quiet during the conversation, yes? This needs more experienced people, ok?" She quickly thought of an improvised excuse, trying to convince Lirlia to not speak. Padme just knows that Lirlia's ways are… not ideal sometimes. That's why she's teaching her how to speak around others. But this case is extremely delicate situation, and they need not of someone like Lirlia to speak for them.
Lirlia's lips formed into a grin. "I understand, Padme. I will try to be quiet."
But her grin sent shivers through Padme's back. 'Please, don't open your mouth there, Lirlia!' Padme sighed and sat back on her seat. The rest of the journey was in silence.
When they arrived, they were asked the reason for their visit, at which Satine told them she wants to speak with Pre Vizla. When they landed, they were received by him and went to a conference room to speak.
"To what do I owed the honor of having the Duchess Satine here in Concordia?"
"Why did you target Satine?" Lirlia asked out of the blue, not even giving time for any political talk.
"Lirlia, wait, let us do the talking-" Padme tried to reason with her, to no avail.
"We have not done such a thing." Vizla answered.
"Your companion revealed that you Death Watch planted the bomb on Satine's office. It's enough proof."
'Damn it. That man got caught? I thought our training was enough to tolerate a Jedi's mind tricks.'
"Again, there is nothing that proves that he was part of us."
Lirlia took out something that Padme taught her how to use, a holorecord. And she showed him the man's confession.
"Are you still going to deny this?"
Vizla sighed loudly. He cannot deny it any longer. Death Watch has been caught. He looks over Padme, Satine and Obi-Wan. He needs to solve this and fast, otherwise the Republic will get involved since Padme was in the room with Satine.
'Since that girl uses armor and a weapon, then I guess a battle of honor might solve this.'
"Let's do this." Vizla started. "Defeat me in a fair fight, and Death Watch shall leave the Duchess and Mandalore alone for... let's say… half a year." Vizla said.
"And if you win?"
"Then the Duchess steps down from her charge."
Lirlia thought for a moment. 'The only times I've fought seriously was against droids and Grievous. If this can keep Satine safe at least for half a year, then I must win this fight, but...' She looked to Satine. 'I guess it'd be best if she says something first.'
"Satine, what do you think?" Lirlia asked.
Satine looked troubled. In one hand, if Lirlia wins, she can rest for 6 months without any kind of attempts on her life from Death Watch. On the other hand, if Lirlia loses…
A hand was placed on her shoulder. Looking to the owner, she saw it was Padme's. "Let's trust her." She whispers to her. "She will not lose."
Satine nodded and stood, walking to Vizla. "I appoint Lirlia as my champion on this battle. I accept the terms if she loses." She extended her hand.
Vizla smiled arrogantly and shook her hand. "I promise I will not hunt you down or your family after I control Mandalore."
"It'd be good to never underestimate an opponent, Vizla." Obi-Wan offered advice to the leader, only to fall on deaf ears.
"Let's do this, then."
They went to the arena, and many of Death Watch's warriors were waiting there. They cheered on Vizla, screaming words of 'Win!', 'Glory to Death Watch!', 'Return our glory!'.
Lirlia wasn't new to an arena. She's fought many challenges before. And they were a lot harder than this one. 'Just disable him and his equipment. Must get intel on his strategies first, though.'
Still, nervous, she was not. Excited is the correct word. She gets to practice a hunt on a small but mobile prey. 'Let's see how it goes.'
They stood in front of each other, with Vizla recalling the rules and the terms of the win and defeat.
"Are you ready to begin?" he mockingly asked her.
"I thought that you needed more time to get ready." She mockingly answers. It got the effect she desired. By angering her prey, the hunt becomes more exciting.
"Ha! You will regret mocking me!" he put on his helmet, and thus, their battle began.
Deep in the confines of a lost cave, a small soft red hue illuminating the cave was replaced by a bright blue hue that soon was replaced by the red hue shining brighter than before. A small blue dragonlike spirit flew around the cave, making shadows of a long forgotten red armor and red and large stick. The arrival of their master is nigh. Just as it was foretold by the Primal. They are ready to serve their master and use their strength to destroy their master's enemies. Many have tried to use them, take advantage of their dark power, only to fall into madness and despair. Their power is only for their owner. No one else.
Just a few more days. They know the master will arrive…
Pre Vizla acted fast, using his blaster to fire to her. Lirlia only took her Heavy Bowgun in her hands, knowing that her armor could protect her from the shots.
"Is that a Beskar armor?" he asked her while aiming at her.
Lirlia frowned. "I don't know what Beskar is, but I am pretty sure that my armor is tougher than that." She aimed at him and shot a round of her Normal Ammo level 3. It's the first time in a while she will use a higher level of her Ammo, but these people tried to kill Satine. 'I won't hold back.' As if answering her thoughts, her armor and weapon's marks started glowing faster and brighter.
For the mandalorians, it seemed like she activated different systems on her ancient warrior armor and weapon. For Obi-Wan, he sensed an increase in Lirlia's strength. For Padme and Satine, it was worrisome.
Vizla used his devices to get the advantage, like his jetpack to fly around her. Everyone observed the battle between him and Lirlia. Ancient technology against modern.
Lirlia shot a few times to Vizla, missing every shot. She groaned. Checking her bag, she took out something.
"What's that?"
"Is that a bug?"
"Hahaha! What can that bug do?"
People started murmuring and mocking her, which she did not pay attention to. She put the bug into her slinger, aimed to the sky and fired. Everything was lit up in bright, white light, that blinded everyone near the blast, even Vizla. Everyone had their sight affected. It will only last a few seconds, but enough for Lirlia to do her move.
"Ugh! How can a simple bug create such a bright light?!" he complained, trying to regain his vision. What impressed and worried him the most, is that the systems of his helmet were not able to protect his eyes from the light.
He didn't have much time to think about it when he felt something hitting his back and jetpack. He thought that her gun was not potent enough to damage his jetpack, when suddenly it exploded, making him to fall to the ground. The moment he landed; he barely had any time to dodge a physical attack from her. He shot at her as he jumped back. His vision cleared and he can now see how affected his jetpack is. It's damaged, almost destroyed.
"Impressive weapon. It destroyed my jetpack." He turned on the Black Saber. "But it won't be enough the defeat me!" he charged at Lirlia. He swings the Black Saber above his head, aiming to cut down Lirlia's shield, only for the shield to deflect the strike.
"What?!" genuine shock filled his mind as he tried to cut the shield, but to no avail.
"My armor and gun can withstand a lightsaber." She answered his unspoken question. Immediately, she fired.
Vizla dodged the shot. Or rather, tried to. Because Lirlia changed to Spread ammo lvl3, leaving many dents on his Beskar armor.
"Ugh!" he felt the pain of the shots hitting his armored torso. He jumped back as Lirlia fired again another shot.
'That weapon… it can use more than one type of fire. Wait… isn't that girl from that footage at the battle of Kamino that was leaked?!' he thought. 'That explains why any of my shots are not effective against her or her weapon. If we can take both armor and weapon for us… or even… make the girl to come to our cause…'
"You know, you are a great warrior, I must say." Pre Vizla started speaking. "And it'd be a shame if any of us dies here."
Lirlia frowned. "I am not here to kill you. You said that if I defeat you, you'd leave Satine and Mandalore alone for a while."
"Yes, but that's not how it works here. You see, the loser is killed by the winner. And I don't think that you have the guts to kill another human being."
'He's got a point there.' Padme thought. 'Lirlia has only ever killed Monsters, but not people since there were no wars between her people. I don't think she can win this fight unless she takes his life. How that will affect her, should she choose that?'
"Let me repeat the deal of this fight: 'defeat me, and I shall leave the Duchess and Mandalore for 6 months.' End quote. You never said anything about killing. So, I just need you to yield willingly. I don't have to kill you."
"She's right." Bo Katan spoke this time. "She only stated to defeat you, not kill you."
Vizla only frowned at that, while Padme smiled proud by how a good student Lirlia was. Albeit, a bit scary sometimes.
Vizla attacked Lirlia with the Black Saber, only to be met with her shield, and even with her armored hands. She kept firing and he kept dodging. At some point, Lirlia got tired of this dodging game, so she resorted using other ammo instead. She aimed at Vizla. He was ready, expecting either a spread attack or an explosive attack. But he did not expect a paralyzing shot, which had instant effect.
"W-What's this?!" he complained, trying to move, but unable to doing so.
"Take a guess." Lirlia said as she reloaded her ammunition. Vizla strill tried to move, even managed to move a bit, but it only got worse.
Lirlia approached him and hit him in the face with her weapon, somehow breaking the paralyzing effect, making him to lose the grasp he had on the Black Saber. The lightsaber turning off and falling to his side. Lirlia kicked it away, and pointed her weapon barrel to Vizla, claiming. "I won."
Everyone in the arena is stunned. Pre Vizla, the leader of Death Watch, the wielder of the Black Saber, has been defeated. That meant one thing.
"Yes. You've won." Vizla stated. Lirlia breathed in relief and sheathed her Heavy Bowgun back on her back. She offered her hand to Vizla, which he took. He walked to the Black Saber, took it in his hands, before approaching Lirlia, offering it to her.
"It's yours now." He said.
"Why are you giving it to me? I thought it was yours."
"That's the trick. You can only win the Black Saber by defeating its current owner." He explains "It's yours now. And with it, our loyalty." People that were seated stood and walked to her, kneeling.
Satine was shocked to see Death Watch to acknowledge Lirlia as their new leader. Padme too, was impressed. Obi-Wan, though, was a bit worried. With this, people will start challenging Lirlia in the future.
"But…"
"You won our battle. We will join your cause."
Before Lirlia could answer, a loud scream was heard in the air, and the temperature dropped many degrees suddenly, freezing objects around.
"What's going on?" Vizla asked aloud.
"No… it cannot be…" Lirlia's eyes widened as she saw a shadow looming over them. "Everyone! Get out of here! NOW!" she screamed.
Padme's never seen Lirlia acting like that before. Her calm demeanour suddenly changed to a desperate but resolved one.
"You know what's going on?" Vizla looks to her. He tried to understand the sudden desperation on their new leader's voice, but his expression soon changed when he recognized her look. The look of any warrior who's ready to fight a tough battle.
"Get everyone out of here before it's too-!" something landed behind them, and the ground froze. Some Mandalorian jumped into the air with their jetpacks to avoid getting frozen, landing a few feet away from the frozen ground. Obi-Wan, Padme and Satine managed to get into some speeders and lifted themselves into the air. Lirlia and Vizla stayed on the ground, her guard up and prepared to fight.
A small icy fog covered the figure's body, but with a swing of its wings, it was repelled, showing a four-legged winged icy blue creature.
"What's that?" Pre Vizla asked bewildered. He's never seen such a creature before. He saw fragments of his armor getting frozen in seconds.
"The Ice Queen Elder Dragon." Lirlia spoke, reloading her Heavy Bowgun, ready for a fight once again. The creature flapped its wings, making the sudden icy mist to clear. Everyone stood watching the icy blue colour of the winged creature. Ice formed whenever it steps. And its eyes were locked on Lirlia as she said the name of the Elder Dragon.
"Velkhana."
Like the Wyverian said! Creatures of the Hunter's era will appear! Don't know how many Elder Dragon or other Wyverns I will add before Lirlia gets the first set. Also, due to these next 2 years, I will very busy studying to end my Medical Career. Will type whenever I can! Thank you for your patience!