The Enigma

The Battle

The sky quickly turned dark upon the village, the stars above now being their main source of light. Everyone continued to prepare themselves for the fight yet to come both physically and mentally. After years of helpless running and hiding, the man in shiny armor had shown them a new way-the way to protect their village and save all that they had worked hard for. He briefed them on what the nights events were going to be and how they were to each take action. He scanned the crowds faces sensing an air of worry in some and determination in the rest. They all needed to work together in order for this battle to be won-no room for second thoughts-and he made that very clear in the run down of attack. When the briefing was complete he dismissed the villagers and made his way over to his hut to round up all the weapons he carried that would be needed. There was a light illuminating from within his hut and he moved slowly as a familiar voice was heard. Once he reached the doorway he found it already open seeing Ember interacting with one of the young village girls, her back facing him and flailing her arms in the air to dramatize the story she was telling. Something told him to pause before entering and he silently watched her curiously. It was a side of her he hadn't seen-how quickly she was adapting to the village like it was a part of her-like it was home. 

Home.

He cleared his throat at the same time stepping foot inside. The clank of armor and the thud of his large boot would have been enough indication that he was present and Ember whipped around immediately standing to attention while the young girl clung to her leg with puffy red eyes. 

"She was crying and I was just comforting her," she admitted. Not that there was anything to admit. She hadn't done anything wrong and still his sudden presence caught her off guard and therefore she felt she had to explain herself. 

"We're leaving soon," was all he said as he moved towards the stacks of crates where his display of weapons lay underneath. As he worked removing each weapon Ember shooed the girl out the hut and returned to where he was hunched over. She just stood there, waiting-like she had something to say but couldn't find the words. After an irritatingly long three minutes he broke the silence with a "These are your quarters as well." He stood straight and held out his hand, blaster laid flat along his wide palm. She glanced down at it then back up to his visor waiting for him to say something-but when she realized he wasn't going to talk she took the weapon from his hand and pushed it in between her belt. Why was it so hard for him to use his words? Even now as she silently worked to tuck the blaster at her side his helmet watched her in complete silence, figure rigged, and she feared he could somehow read through her mind-hear every little thought she was thinking about him. You can be an asshole sometimes...can you hear that-she mind tested him. In the same manner he had entered the hut no sooner did he leave, weapons flung over his shoulders leaving the girl to wallow in her thoughts.

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It was time. Crouched low to the damp earth floor, ears and eyes ready, she peered over the make-shift barricade heart pounding in her chest. The village folk awaited the attack, some hiding behind huts with guns at the ready and other sprawled on their stomachs behind barricades. The Mandalorian and the shock trooper had gone ahead deep into the forest to try and lure the mechanical beast from its shadowy lair to which the hunter explained in his own words, would take less than half an hour. She didn't have a clock but they'd been waiting out in the dark for at least an hour and a half and they hadn't returned. There was a sudden rustling in the bushes about ten feet from where the barricade was set up, two dark figures approaching and fast. The villagers were anxious slowly starting to raise their weapons but they were quickly lowered once they were recognized as their own; but all fear quickly rose again as bright glowing red eyes loomed through the trees above, a thunderous stomping shaking the ground they were on. Trees were cut down as whatever the thing was was making a path aiming directly for the village. The Mandalorian and shock trooper flung themselves over the wood barricade landing right beside Ember. She could hear the steady heaving coming through his modulator as he took a short moment to regain his breath at teh same time shifting into a defensive crouched position.