The winding staircase was dimly lit by medieval torches only revealing a portion of its worn out mud wall interior. You were closing in on a well lit room, the torches inside created shadows of many bodies scattered across the room.
Upon entering, you were met with sound of guns cocking and the laser light of their aims, pointing between you brows. Raising your hands slowly, you walked closer to a red couch where Bala Tik sat the exact same way he did back at the inn with the ugly bitch of a Blutopian by his side, Oga. "Ah Supreme Leader, what an honor", Bala Tik completely ignored your presence. "Please sit, you and your men are welcome to sit here", he smirked. The knights along with their leader and Kross took a seat on the large sofa.
You stood still, whilst Bala Tik got under your nerves. Kylo's posture was always unusually straight. The knights on the other hand, they took the invitation to sit, all too well. You rolled your eyes at their comfort. They seemed to enjoy the relaxation after battle.
"Sorry about the guns, one can never be too careful", he raised his finger and moved it in a circle. Kylo's jaw tensed. You leaned your back against the clay wall. "Are you aware your men killed my brother? ", Bala Tik leaned closer.
"Yes I am aware, I was there", Kylo's voice was stern. You were biting your cheek; holding back a snicker at his boldness.
"Ricky is your brother?", Vicrul spoke out, somewhere behind his jokes, hid pure rage. Bala Tik nodded in response.
"Of course I hold no grudges against you or men for it we both know who is responsible for this", he looked straight at you. "So-", Bala Tik continued until Vic decided to chime in.
"Hold on, was he called Rick Tik or... ", he stroked his mask around the chin. "Pan!", he called out to you, you turned your head lazily at him. "What do you think?", his voice had a hint of joy in it.
You acted completely dazed as if you weren't paying any attention. "Sorry what was that? Dick Rick or Rick Dick?", your eyes widended.
"HIS NAME!!", Bala Tik clenchd his fists as he stood up. He then looked over at very disrespected Supreme Leader; cooling himself as he sat down. "His name was Vala Rik", he uttered after clearing his throat, the third time.
"My bad", you placed your hand on your chest.
"That's quite alright, women have a small thinking capacity, I'm not surprised", he snickered. In that moment you had a incoming call from Kuruk, you carefully picked the call up. "Pan, do you copy....", you coughed a yes, clenching your fists.
"I took it upon myself to search Yen and...You're not going to like this. I found fifteen rigged explosives under your ship", he sighed heavily. Your anger reached its peak.
You darted rapidly at the guard near you and snapped his neck in milliseconds. The rest of the men aimed their guns at you. "oops", you raised a hand over your mouth, your fingers grazed your lips, lightly as your lips parted and mouth stood agape. This time Bala Tik spared no respect in front of the Supreme Leader but only signaled his men to shoot at you. That was the last straw.
The bullets hung in the air, halted before they could hardly reach you. You looked over to Kylo who had his hand raised into a fist. "Nobody touches what is mine", as soon as he said those words, the three avenging beasts that was you, Vicrul and Kross slit guavian throats leaving only a shivering Oga and a terrified leader of an esteemed death gang. Kross and Vicrul made their way to the Bala Tik; grinning widely.
"Once you're done. Bring him out, dead or alive", you waved your fingers. "Preferably both", you shrugged. Trudgen dragged Oga by her collar up the stairs and threw her to the ground.
"Consider yourself the First Order has use for your snake ass or I'd be having my ways with you", you held her head up; looking at her in disgust. She murmured inaudible words. You left your grip on her only to slam her head on the cold concrete floor, she was out cold.
-
You waited outside the Cantina for a while, you turned your head as you the corners of yours eyes caught a man hauling in a heavy object by his side.
"Will this do?", Kuruk began panting. "It's good enough", you pursed your lips.
"Good enough? GOOD ENOUGH?!, I carved this out in less than twenty minutes and you think it's good enough. Love!, it's perfect", he raised his brows. You looked at him with no expression but disappointment. Vicrul and Kronix soon dragged out a almost lifeless body of Bala Tik and tossed it inches away from you boots. Who then crawled closer, clutching on to your feet.
"Have mercy, please", he whimpered. You tilted your head.
"No", you bent your knees, slowly drawing your body closer to the ground.
"You didn't have mercy when you let your brother torture my man", you tugged his bleeding head, to face you. "You didn't-", your voice broke. "You didn't have mercy when you ordered your men to SHOOT KRONIX!", you screamed out in agony. The darkness soon faded from Kross's eyes, now the realization of everything washed in. Kronix was gone and wasn't coming back. You swept all your tears off. "Ready the cross", you sniffled; looking up at Kuruk.
"Where do you want it?", his soft voice replied.
"Somewhere, the whole town can walks by and always be haunted by the gawking figure", you looked at Bala Tik's beaten figure. You jerked his head away from you as you stood up. Kylo grabbed your arm before you could walk away. "What. Are. You Doing? ", he searched your eyes.
"I promised his brother, I'd crucify him but I guess he will do", you expressed no emotion. Blocking out the human part of you from barging in. "You'll see", you smiled.
-
The market was swarming with citizens, as horror seeped into their pores. You stood aside, chin up and proud. Tik's body being heaved from the crowd. The knights then used their force to keep Tik stuck against the cross. You got to work. You pulled yourself off the ground, levitating. You didn't know how these powers came to be but it listened to your wishes. You pulled out a dagger and held his hand on one side of the wood, you looked at him for a moment. Without hesitation, you plunged the dagger deep into his palm. So deep, that it penetrated through hard wood. You moved to his other hand, doing the same. Taking your time; perfecting your art. Blood tainting the white snow beneath you. He howled in pain, begging you to stop. You didn't bother using a rope to hold him in place. Once you were pleased with your work. You used a smaller dagger and carved out a upside-down cross on his forehead. Out of reflex, he began to clench his fists. But you rendered that impossible.
You stepped back into the snow, admiring your work. Bala Tik cried until his eyes could no longer produce tears. You didn't know for how long you had been staring at him whilst he suffered. Kross, too lost track of time.
You felt a gloved hand on your shoulder, its warmth made every part of you, shiver at its touch.
"Time to go", A'plek muttered. You nodded in response. Ap'lek placed his hand on the small of your back, helping your now tired body, walk. "I'll find you, you whore. Next time, I'll kill more than just one, I'll kill them all-", Tik screeched. He wanted to say more, so many more empty threats he wanted to deliver. His words were cut short, when you heard the swishing of Wraith. You jerked your head back, hair flying in front of your face. Bala Tik gurgled and coughed out blood as he stared down at his abdomen. That neat cut was, spilling blood and guts all over the pure white. A concoction of whimpers and bleats escaped the dead man's lips as he drifted closer to his demise. Oh, what a sight. You couldn't help but cry as you watched him suffer in his last minutes. How scared Kronix must've been.
You looked over to Kross, whose body was turned slightly at your direction, panting and growling. He threw the blade at you. Too weak to catch it. Ushar rushed towards you; gliding, he caught the blade between his gloves, rotating the hilt to fall into his palms. He respectfully slipped Wraith inside the sheath on your back. The men slowly backed away as Kross gained ground on you. He bent his figure and slithered his fingers under your knees and back, raising your tired body closer to his chest with a tight groan.
The same barren tress in a gloomy forest, you were carried past the embers of your blast. You looked closer to where Kronix previously lay. His clothes were missing but you didn't pressure Kross for answers. His kindness towards you was enough for you to know that he could be trusted. The hiss of the ramp was too much for your sensitive ears to bear. You groaned at its sound, digging up a shelter on Kross's chest. His heartbeat was rhythmic with your shuddering breath. He planted your feet on the chilly earth, as the ramp clashed on to the ground. A final hiss broke through the chambers of the ships engine.
"We'll take it from here", a soothing voice and a clacking of boots ascended from the inside of your ship.
"Wait!", another voice shouted. You turned your head slowly while the Knights drew their weapon. From a narrow clearing, came the body of young woman, feet struggling to survive the chill of the snow. You squinted your eyes to get a better view of who the voice belonged to.
Roxy rushed the dense snow as she made her way to you. "I wanna come with", her fervid eyes look excitedly at your tired ones. How could one be so enthusiastic, it exhausted you. But you quickly came to the realization that she was only a kid with no purpose in life but be abused by a man, she called father.
"My darling", your boots skiding on the know. You inched closer to her frame. You examined her delicate features yet again. The fine lines that were then microscopic, bloomed vividly before your eyes. "My ways of life is not suited for yours", you tilted your head ever so slightly.
"Buh..but how come?, you're the same age as me", her brows pinched together.
"Because I was trained to be this killing machine, I had no choice. I simply can not allow such a cruel destiny upon you". Rejection and disappointment was a hurricane inside her beating heart. She finally had hope. How could you deny her even a drop of happiness when her life was deprived of human decency. You sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of your nose. "What will become of your child? ", you surrendered.
"She is with my cousins. Their she will find a home with love and respect. She is better off without me", she seemed heartbroken by her choice. But she too was just a child, she too needed to live. You didn't know where you would take her. She was of no use to you nor the first order. "If you seek an adventure. I could always use a partner and a helping hand", Kross came forward. You couldn't put your gratitude in words, your lips parted and then formed and small genuine smile.
-
The knights decided to help Roxy prepare for her journey. You walked Kross closer to his ship, both of you engaged in a comfortable silence, admiring the mundane tress, from which leaves previously died out. You felt a small weight pressing down in your chest. You were drawing closer to the delayed but inevitable farwell.
He picked up his pace and to meet your face in front of his. "So this is it.", you shrugged. "Yep.., he dragged on the P for long and that was enough for you realise, that he too dreaded this part.
"I hate-", "How will you-", you both spoke up but stopped abruptly. You stared into the ground, snowflakes costing your war ridden boots.
"Continue", Kross's hand gestured.
"I hate this part", you shrugged.
"So do I", he let out a soft chuckle and you did the same. He looked back at you. "How will you cope? ", he asked.
"The same way as you, seeking the final truth that destiny did not allow Kronix to stumble upon", you looked into his eyes and walked over to him. Stroking his high cheekbones with the lightest of touches. "Everything will be okay", drops of tears formed at the corners of your eyes. "You aren't alone in this", you voice broke. Kross cleared his throat, struggling to keep the pain within. "I lost him, Pandora", he sniffed. "I should've been protecting him", he sobbed; looking away from you.
"Shhhh shhhh", you pulled his face back to meet yours. You searched his eyes as she stared into the cold metal floor of the ships ramp, in that moment you pulled him into your arms. He yelped at the force but quickly settled his face into your neck. Hot breath, warming up the cold sensation that wrapped your body. "It wasn't your fault. We took our revenge now we must finish his work and for that I need you, He needs you", you slowly pulled out of the hug. Holding him by his forearms. "Can you do that, hm?", you stared into his teary blue eyes. For a moment, you shared only a deep look into each other's eyes. Every care and pain withered away. You smiled as he brushed your cheek. You jolted at the sound of a few clearing throats. The black visors stared awkwardly but all that was thrown and locked into a small box when you watched Roxy hopping closer to the ship in excitement.
"I'm going to regret, this aren't I?", Kross's eyes fixated on the curious woman as she strode past the winter snow with no care but ache for adventure. "Mind you, she can be quite a handful", you chuckled and patted him hard on the the back. You descended down the ramp; sharing a small glance at Roxy, you winked at her, now nervous face, comforting her.
"If it becomes too much to bear, don't hesitate to reach out", Kross tapped his fingers on the ramp panel.
"What? ", you furrowed your brows.
"Just promise me, you will", the ramp inching closer to the ship.
"I will", you nodded.
"Until next time, goddess", he mocked the title that Kronix had set.
"Until next time, Kross"