As dusk fell and the Eternal Dawn team made camp near the nexus site, Cain slipped away to check on Kar Vastor privately. The warlord had been stabilized and placed in a makeshift medical tent at the edge of the clearing. A pair of glow-lamps cast a soft light inside. Kar was awake now, propped against some supplies serving as cushions. The medics had bandaged his wounds (not without difficulty given Kar's size) and administered basic treatment. Cain entered quietly, and the two guards outside respectfully gave them space, knowing Cain intended a one-on-one discussion.
Kar's eyes tracked Cain's approach. Though still physically drained, Kar had recovered enough to sit upright. He regarded Cain with an intense stare, as if re-evaluating this smaller man who had bested him. Cain inclined his head in greeting. "Kar Vastor," he began respectfully, "How are you feeling?"
Kar grunted, shifting his shoulders. "Alive," Cain heard in his head, the word terse but not hostile. He seemed puzzled—perhaps by the fact that he was alive at all. By Haruun Kal's harsh law of tan pel'trokal (jungle justice), defeat should mean death, yet Cain had spared him. That act alone must have made an impression on the proud warrior.
Cain settled into a crouch at eye level with Kar. For a moment, both men were silent. The sounds of night insects droned outside, and distant voices of the camp echoed. Finally, Cain spoke softly, but there was weight to his words. "You fought with honor and ferocity. You pushed me and my friends to our limits, Kar.
I've rarely had to give so much to survive a duel." Kar's head tilted slightly at the admission, a glint of approval in his dark eyes. Cain continued, "It would have been easy to let you die out there…but I saw something in you beyond just an enemy. I saw a potential ally." Kar's brow furrowed. He clearly had not expected that. "The Eternal Dawn Order could use a warrior like you."
At that, Kar narrowed his eyes uncertainly. Cain raised a hand gently. "Hear me out. We are not the Jedi of Coruscant. We are a sect that believes in balancing light and dark, in learning from every aspect of the Force." Cain gestured to where Master Fay's laughter rang out softly in the distance; the ancient Master's pure light was one end of their spectrum. "
We seek to bring hope and order to the galaxy in these dire times, but we also recognize the value of passion, of strength. We don't cast aside those who tread close to darkness if their heart can be true." Kar listened intently, processing each word.
Cain then gave a slight, wry smile. "If you join us, I won't promise it will be easy. In fact, I'd be asking much of you. I want you to become our combat and survival specialist and rival-seeker." Kar's eyebrow lifted. The terms were intriguing to him. Cain explained, "We have many strong fighters in the Eternal Dawn and Eternal Alliance, but growth comes from facing great challenges. You would be the one to push us in training, to keep us sharp. You would seek out worthy opponents and help prepare strategies to defeat them. Essentially, you'd be our resident rival—the bar we must strive to overcome."
A low chuckle escaped Kar's throat—a rough, rusted sound that was the closest he'd come to laughter in years. The idea clearly appealed to his warrior ethos. Cain pressed on, "In return, you'd get something you crave as well: opportunities to battle the strongest beings out there, not as an outcast or criminal, but with purpose—testing yourself against foes who threaten the peace we protect.
"You'd learn our combat techniques and how to improve them in your own way." You'd be free to be yourself, but guide others with that strength." He paused, then added seriously, "And you will not be alone anymore you can have a clan, watching your back. The Eternal Dawn can be your new tribe."
Kar Vastor's fierce eyes shone with interest now. The giant man slowly clenched and unclenched his hand, as if picturing wielding a weapon in future battles under a new banner. The concept of a clan clearly struck a chord; the Korunnai were deeply tribal by nature, and Kar's life had been defined by losing his.
A voice echoed in Cain's head. "Fight…strong foes," Kar rasped thoughtfully. "Teach me and I teach your people to fight stronger." He nodded once, a short decisive motion. "Good." A small smile, more like a baring of teeth, formed. "Kar…agrees." Despite the broken phrases, Cain understood completely – Kar was in. A surge of relief and satisfaction swelled in Cain's chest.
Bringing Kar Vastor into the fold was a gamble, but one that could pay enormous dividends in the battles to come. There was also a sense of rightness in giving Kar a chance at redemption and purpose beyond endless bloodshed. Cain extended his arm. "Welcome to the Eternal Dawn Order, Kar." The hulking Korun reached out and clasped Cain's forearm with his own massive hand, sealing the pact in a warrior's handshake.
The tent's light glinted off Kar's eyes, and for the first time, Cain saw not the avatar of the jungle's darkness, but a potential friend and teacher forged in the flames of hardship.
As Cain exited the tent, leaving Kar to rest, he looked up at the night sky visible through the parting canopy. Countless stars shimmered above the jungle, and Cain couldn't help but feel that a new one had just ignited—a new spark in their Order, as eternal as the dawn.