Chapter Text
I'm not afraid of you!
You should be...
Cal wakes up with a jolt, his heart pounding so fast in his chest as he stands up, shaky fingers barely keeping him upright. He can feel the drops of sweat dripping from under his shirt, traveling all the way down his abdomen as a slender hand finds its way in his shoulder. It makes him flinch, still confused from his nightmare, the words haunting him as phantom fingers linger painfully on the skin around his neck.
"...Cal!" a different voice calls out, gentle and soft, nothing unlike the vicious one that stalks him. He tries to locate it, unsure where it's coming from as he hears it again. Merrin. It's Merrin who's calling him, he eventually recognizes her voice as he allows himself to relax and receive another gentle squeeze from her hand on his shoulder.
"I'm okay," he manages to respond in a shaky voice, trying to sound less agitated than he already is.
"You were talking in your sleep. I believe you had a nightmare."
Merrin could not even begin to imagine the night he's had, tossing and turning until he could barely feel he could fall asleep, followed by what can only be described as pure chaos. For him, dreams always took him to places he'd seen in the past, and for that he was grateful. He's always been careful with the echoes, and for the most part he had peaceful dreams, but sometimes he couldn't control them.
This time though, it felt so real, and even though he could not see her face, Valeria's threats and her strong hands pining him to the wall were enough to disturb him to no end. Magick was also something that he truly could not understand, and the feeling of helplessness as she began to weaken him with it until he could barely stand, made him incredibly frightful.
"What time is it?" he asks in a more strong voice, putting the dreadful nightmare at the back of his mind for now.
"It is morning already. The sandstorm appears to have passed as we slept, and the sun shines clearly outside.
"Good. It means we can move on without worry until we find that monastery," Cal rises from the ground, already busy packing for their journey ahead.
He tries to forget about his dream, but he feels Merrin's burning stare as he tries to ignore it, her expression probably worried. A hiss of pain escapes his lips involuntarily as he straightens his back, cursing himself for forgetting about his injuries.
"Are you certain this monastery is the right place for us to be right now?"
Merrin's words sound concerning, and he too wonders if they will truly find the place in time. The Empire's presence on Jedha was felt as soon as they landed, but he tries to keep an optimistic mindset and encourage Merrin to do the same.
"The Empire's crawling all over Jedha, and I'm not really sure why they're still here, since everyone's dead. Maybe they found something worth staying for."
"Maybe you are correct. I trust your judgment, Cal Kestis. Lead the way," Merrin declares in her usual stoic voice.
The journey takes longer than anticipated, but Cal feels absolutely sure this is the right place. Their shuttle is probably already half covered in sand, or confiscated by the Empire's Forces, so he needs to be certain. The air feels lighter and purer compared to the other sacred places, and as soon as his feet meet the cold, hard stone, he turns and faces Merrin with a wide grin.
"We're here! We found it, Merrin!"
"This is your most sacred place? It is wonderful," her voice sounds remarkably disappointed, and she grumbles under her breath, her face without a doubt sporting a displeased expression.
"Well, I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not, but yeah! I think this is it!" he tries to sound less excited than he feels, his body practically vibrating with excitement upon finding the ancient place.
"There is something written above that threshold," she ads as she steps in front of him, guiding him towards the main entrance.
"What does it say?" Cal practically jumps in his place, all excited.
"I cannot read the language."
Oh. Of course, Cal sighs, realizing whatever it is, it is probably written in an ancient dialect foreign even to him. He reaches out with his hand, his fingers palpating the writing, hoping to recognize something. When he fails to do so, he reaches out further with the Force, allowing himself to grasp at the faint echo imprinted on the desolate walls.
In darkness, cold. In light, cold. The old sun brings no heat. But there is heat in breath and life. In life, there is the Force. In the Force, there is life. And the Force is eternal.
A sincere smile appears on his lips as the echo fades, solidifying the true nature of this place. In all his life, he had only made contact with one person who belonged to one of many places like this one, but the encounter left a significant mark on him.
"We're definitely in the right place..."
"You most certainly are," a stranger's voice interrupts their conversation, and he steps forward until his presence through the Force is clear and strong.
"Do not come closer!" Merrin is already alert, stepping in front of Cal as her hands lit ablaze with wild magick, and she warns the man to keep his distance in a low, menacing tone.
"Merrin, stop!" Cal places a firm hand on her shoulder, urging her to keep calm. "He's one of the Guardians of the Whills!"
"Ah, you must be one of ours," the man replies again in a soothing voice, incredibly calm.
"I am, or at least I was. My name is Cal Kestis, and I served as a monk in one of the monasteries from the west, near the desert ridge," he steps in front of Merrin and presents himself, hoping to defuse the tense atmosphere. "This is my wife, Merrin, a Nightsister from Dathomir."
The man keeps quiet, and eventually murmurs an approving hum under his breath. "And are you no longer one of us, Cal Kestis?"
The question makes him stop and think for a second. It is true that as a monk, he needs to be celibate and abandon all attachments to live his life, all those strict rules already disregarded long ago.
"Not anymore. As I have said, I broke the code not long after our people were massacred. I never thought I'd actually find anyone alive here, let alone a brother... who are you?"
"My name is Ymal Sun, and I am one of the few Guardians still left on Jedha."
His voice sounds dejected, almost sad, and Cal gives him an understanding nod, wondering just how many of them are truly left. Probably not a lot, he ponders while he remains silent, leaving Merrin to question the man.
"How come the Empire has not found you here? It did not take us long to discover this supposedly hidden place," her voice filled with justified suspicion.
"The monastery is not hidden, and all are welcome to visit as they wish. Who are we to stop our destinies from unfolding?"
Cal's expression shifts from sorrow to a more contemplative one, trying to unravel the man's words. The Force never failed to guide him, even at his lowest point, and he silently wonders if everything that has happened so far was with a deeper purpose.
The genocide of both the Jedi and the Nightsister clan could not be coincidental, not with both him and Merrin finding each other at such a defining moment in both their lives. So perhaps the monk was right, and there was nothing left to be done but wait and see what destiny has in store for them.
"Trust only in the Force, and the path will reveal itself..." he declares with a small smile, drawing the attention of Ymal towards him.
"Exactly."
"You knew we'd come...but how?" Cal now feels genuinely confused.
"It is not a question of whether I knew you would arrive or not. I simply put my faith in the Force, as I was instructed to wait for someone worthy enough to receive a very important message. One that I have awaited a long time to deliver."
"And here I thought us witches were cryptic with our customs. You monks are certainly far more dramatic," Merrin ads from the side in a sarcastic tone.
"Wait, you have a message for us? From whom?" Cal steps closer, his curiosity getting the better of him.
"Someone who desperately needs your help. A Jedi Master visited me not long after those men laid waste to our monasteries. She told me to keep this hidden, and to give it only to someone who can be trusted," he reaches out into his pocket and retrieves a small device, the shape familiar as it now rests in Cal's palm.
"A Jedi Master was here? So someone did survive the purge!"
"It is good to finally hear some encouraging news," Merrin places a comforting hand on Cal's shoulder, despite the masked, mournful tone in her voice.
"Dial that comlink as soon as you reach a safe world, far from this Empire's reach. It is of utmost importance."
"Do you know who's on the other end?" Cal places the device safely in his pocket as a rush of anxiety suddenly rises in his chest. What if they're too late and no one responds, or worse, what if it's a trap? His thoughts consume him as the monk's calm voice brings him back, filling him with a somewhat small sense of security.
"That you will have to discover all alone, I am afraid. I have done my part, and for now, I must return to my duties."
"You're still guarding the archives?"
"Someone has to. I bid my farewell to both you, Cal Kestis, and to you, Nightsister Merrin. May you find exactly what you are looking for," he declares in the same calm tone he assumed for the whole conversation, and before the both of them can even register what has happened, he is truly gone.
"I think we might have actually did..." Cal's voice trails off, garnering Merrin's attention, who strides by his side.
"Did what?"
"Find what we were looking for. Think about it, Merrin. A Jedi Master is probably still alive and needs our help. We were meant to find this place!" the excitement in his voice is deeply contrasted by Merrin's disapproving murmurs.
"I do not approve of this Cal. Perhaps this man is lying, and we will walk into a trap."
"I thought about that too, but it doesn't make a lot of sense. The Empire's already hunting Jedi and everyone who dares to stand against them. All this seems far too... complicated for them. Besides, I can always look into the past to see if this thing's real," he says, giving her a reassuring smile.
"Then I suggest you do so. Better to find ourselves disappointed now rather than later."
After all the suffering and betrayal, it makes sense for Merrin to feel suspicious of everything around her, and Cal agrees with her. One peek into the past surely can't hurt him more than anything from these past few weeks, and he holds the comlink tight in his palm as he places himself carefully on the ground and begins to concentrate.
At first, there seems to be nothing imprinted on the object, and he feels a bit disappointed for not being able to sense the echo. With the excitement of hearing that a Jedi Master was in dire need of help, he sometimes forgets not all objects carry echoes. But this one has to, and before he can abandon his quest, he feels it—weak but potent enough to reach out and grab it before it disappears for good.
Vivid colors and flashing light invade him, and he braces himself for the inevitable shock of seeing whatever horrors this unknown Jedi Master endured before she reached Jedha.
"Stay inside the cave. I'll draw them out," she stares at the face of a young woman with dark hair, her expression frightened as she holds another Rodian youngling in her arms.
"Master! Don't leave us!" the young woman wails in the distance, but she is already gone, running for her life as she tries to divert the soldier's attention towards her.
Her lightsaber feels so light in her hands as she jumps and plunges it into one of the Clone trooper's chest, ending his life instantly. There are more coming from all sides, and she fights with incredible strength, swinging her lightsaber from left to right until there are only dead bodies lying at her feet.
The echo begins to waiver, flashing white lights, sending the memory into various places. Cal tries to make sense of it, with only fragmented pieces reveling themselves. A painful capture, the Jedi Master yelling in pain as she is being tortured, and a black masked figure causing the scenery to erupt in pure chaos.
Nothingness fills the echo, and for a moment Cal thinks he's back to his normal self. But a weak voice, and a clear image replace the emptiness until a familiar sight materializes in front of him. The monastery looks similar but different enough from the place he grew up, and the Jedi Master advances through it with ease until she comes face to face with who can only be assumed to be Ymal.
"The Jedi are all dead. I can't stay here, but I trust you'll find someone good enough to give this to, when the time is right."
"What about you, Master Junda? Where will you go?"
"I don't know, but I'll figure something out in the meantime. Please, you have to promise me you'll keep this safe," she reaches out and gives him the small comlink.
"I promise I will guard this with my life. Go in peace, Master Junda, and may the Force be with you."
The memory is gone for good as Cal returns to the present with hopeful determination. Everything the monk has said was true, and for the first time in quite a while, hope begins to overcome him as he stands on his feet, determined to find this mysterious Jedi Master and meet her.
"Ymal was right. A Jedi Master really needs our help."
"Then let us return to our ship and resume our journey until we find her, Cal Kestis. It seems fate would have it no other way."
The Second Sister has never been one to gloat until she was absolutely sure of her victory, having conquered far more territories in the Empire's name than she can remember. Ever since she pledged her loyalty to the Emperor, her entire destiny changed, and her meaningless life finally had a fulfilling purpose.
But now, with the sweet taste of success on the tip of her tongue, all she can do is gloat. The witches of Dathomir had been reduced to ashes in mere hours, their clan leader fleeing the scene in shame and defeat. So much for fierce bravery, she scoffs amusingly under her breath while she eyes the horizon. But there is still that one thing that manages to ruin her good mood—the issue ever-present as she remembers Valeria's abhorrent failure—the loss of the Jedi.
There are so few left in the galaxy by now, and the Second Sister laments this incredible failure. Bringing a living Jedi to the fortress would have surely granted her immeasurable power and the Emperor's favor. Nevertheless, she will take this victory and be sure to announce that it was her alone that managed such a feat, without the help of another.
Valeria will have to remain alive for now, even though the thought of having a witch as her partner immensely frustrates and repulses her. The witches of Dathomir were mere savages, living their lives as if the galaxy had not evolved around them for thousands of years, but above all, the Second Sister understood that it was their magick that made them so powerful and dangerous.
In fact, if it were not for that disgusting primal manipulation of the Force, she would already have the Jedi in her grasp. No worries, as she intends to lay waste to every clan still daring to live on a planet that has been claimed by the Empire long before they even realized it.
With Dathomir now fully aligned with the Empire, it was time to begin their exploration. Perhaps this dreadful planet holds more riches than is visible, and the Empire's forces will stand to gain more than a handful of witches.
Valeria's footsteps grow closer to her location, and she hates herself for growing so familiarized with the darned witch. But her intel is still valuable, so she turns and faces the woman with a calm expression.
"Our scouts have yet to find her, but I assure you she is somewhere on this world."
"So sure of this, are you? Hmm... perhaps I am mistaken in believing you are of any use to me," the Second Sister cocks her head and eyes Valeria with a suspicious stare, her golden eyes piercing through her.
"Merrin has never left Dathomir in her life. I assure you, this witch would not dare to leave our world, let alone our system. She must be hiding in one of the neighboring clans."
"Then we will lay waste to them, and find her before she decides to grow bolder," a bitter grimace now rests on her face, incredibly dissatisfied with the news.
"No. It is far to dangerous to even approach the rest of the clans. We would be killed on the spot," Valeria's tone is serous, but the Second Sister simply disregards her worries as she inches closer towards her.
"I decide what happens next with the remaining clans. It would be wise for you to remember this while I still allow your presence by my side," her lip twitches while she eyes Valeria up and down with an intimidating gaze.
The witch remains silent, and all the Second Sister can do is smirk maliciously at her, forcing her to acknowledge her superiority. It was never in question, but the more the witch presses, the less she feels inclined to please her. Valeria has lost her leverage in this fight, and now all she can do is endure while the Second Sister claims her spot.
"I expected nothing less from someone who would betray her own kin without remorse. Now, if you please, there is a rouge witch somewhere on this planet, and I intend to find her."
Dathomir at dawn is far more dangerous than anticipated, and a low growl emerges from the Second Sister's lips as she cuts down yet another venomous spider. The damned things are relentless, stalking her from all sides, but a single swipe of her lightsaber is enough to cut through them like warm butter.
Her men begin to grow agitated behind her, with one of them even screaming in fear as another batch of spiders circles around them, and all she can do is sigh at his incompetence as the spider crawls over him, claiming his life.
"Begone, foul creatures!" her lightsaber downs the Bane-Backs with incredible speed, and she reaches out with her hand until the hilt returns safely in her palm. Another frustrated sigh materializes under her breath, the situation enraging her to the core. Her ship is quite close, but so far she's made no real progress in finding her target.
Disgusting witch! she curses inside her mind. All she needs now is focus and search for her presence through the Force, but the more they walk, the more her feet begin to tire, and she eventually stops, deeply disappointed.
This region is filled with mountains and caves, the terrain almost impossible to traverse on foot. It also does not help that she feels grimy and dirty, desperately yearning for a bath. So she gestures for her men to set camp, her mind trying to devise a quick plan before madness consumes it.
The witch is a coward, hiding on familiar ground. If this were any other circumstances, she would have already found her, but for now it seems the odds are in her favor. Not for long, the Second Sister ponders as she stretches her feet and allows herself to rest.
Valeria is waiting for her back at the temple, with the look on her face as she was denied to come along almost too good. But the more she thinks about everything that has happened in these past few days, the more her smile turns into a rigid frown.
The Empire has given her so much freedom and power, but above all, it has enabled her to be her true self without judgment from her own kind. A memory from a long time ago arises in front of her eyes, surprising even herself with its appearance.
Her life as a Jedi Padawan feels so distant, but from time to time, it reemerges without warning, almost taunting her. She resents the Jedi so much, and if she could erase the memories from her mind, she would do just that, as they bring nothing but pain and misery to an already troubled mind.
Is that how you consider yourself? Troubled? she thinks in complete silence while the question lingers for far to long without an answer.
But after a silent moment to reflect on herself, she decided it's better to leave her past buried. No use going on that path again, her old Master's face flashing in front of her for a second, enraging her. That traitor doesn't deserve to be remembered by her, and she scolds herself for showing even the smallest sign of weakness. Never again, she ponders as she continues her journey toward the nearest clan.
Valeria mentioned the Howling Crags as lowlife brutes and true enemies of the Nightsisters, and the Second Sister has little patience left for petty conflict. If the former leader of the Nightsisters truly hides here, she will not hesitate to purge the entire clan from existence until she finds her.
A silent arrow flies past her shoulder, planting itself on the ground behind her. It seems her presence here is not appreciated by these native warriors, who are no doubt preparing themselves to fight her. Little do they know what expects them as a wicked smirk adorns her lips, her golden eyes lighting up with anticipation as she draws her lightsaber in front of her and ignites the red crystal instantly.