The purple aura of the dreamscape bubbled around her. The landscape appeared to have an aura of warmth and comfort, but the air was bitterly cold. The cracked ground, floating islands separated by cracks of space and time, rumbled in a low monotone as Elise already struggled to balance.
"Well... I'm here. Lovely place, this is."
Balancing on the unstable ground, the Dreamseer jumped from one plot of land to the other. She was able to find her footing and look around again. Glowing lights illuminated the dark world. The grass blew in a bitter breeze which once again contradicted the warm appearance of this plane. Clouds and chunks of stone danced in the air, and galaxies swarmed above in rapid speed. At one glance, this was a welcoming grasslands. At another glance, it was a dangerous drop with the most frigid climate. Elise shivered, hugging herself. She was wearing the same kind of light, tribal clothes she would have been wearing on tropical Archais. The wind shredded into her exposed stomach and back, making her feel even more uneasy.
The Novanian looked above, at the constantly changing skies. The glowing, purple atmosphere covered this entire dreamscape in a fuzzy haze. Unsafe. Unsound. Despite first appearances. Looking up to the swirling stars, Elise frowned deeply. She remembered the words spoken to her the last time she sought
him. And now, she needed him again.
"Arr'Huwal..."
She lifted her arms, opening herself to the heavens as she wobbled on the ground below her.
"Ancient One, you told me that I am not alone. Will you hear me now?"
Tears flooded her eyes as she spoke her heart's sorrow.
"There is no warmth. There is only the sting of war, the chill of bitterness, and the tearful river of betrayal. I've nowhere to go in this conflict I chose to partake in. What must I do? I am safe in Archais, but I can't hide there forever. I'm a Mandalorian too... And I want to do my part as a light in this dark galaxy.."
She reached up and rubbed her eyes, wiping the tears from her vision.
"I... Don't want to be alone out there. In the cold."
She opened her eyes, gasping as she saw the symbols of the Ancient Ones, large and bright like neon lights, glowing in the sky above. The galaxies around them slowed into order, and she felt the temperature of this landscape rise.
"How persistent must you be, to be demolished in will and joy, yet to still stand? You most certainly are my Seer's pupil."
Hearing Arr'Huwal's voice, wise yet mischievous, immediately gave Elise a security she had not felt anywhere outside the Dreamseer Coven's sanctuary. It was home.
"I must admit my amusement. I never know what you are going to do next. Except, for now. You will see, the path I show you."
The Dreamseer looked down, seeing that below the floating symbols of Archais' Ancients, there was a strange object in the distance. She tried to peer closer, but the mist and distance was blocking her.
"Wayii! Couldn't you have brought that a little closer?"
"No."
"Haar'chak."
Arr'Huwal's snickering echoed around her as Elise began hopping from platform to platform. The islands were long, and the gaps were thin. And yet, Elise felt like she was walking on a board on water. An entire life of physical training kept her going, but the balancing act was swiftly growing old. Weariness settled in as she slowly moved closer to the object. Now, she could see a large, floating orb in the sky. She recognized the planet instantly.
"Concord Dawn?"
Elise bit her lip before making another jump. She had to regain her balance, but began to move again. She sighed. She deeply revered the Ancient Ones, but she wondered how much Arr'Huwal was enjoying making her walk a mile. Perhaps, there was a lesson to this trek. Or perhaps, he was simply bored. She never knew with Arr'Huwal. It was... a swiftly exhausting game.
As she moved closer to the planet, Elise heard whispers. Names, "Lucien..."; wars, peace, and history. Mandalorians shouting in the distance, and strangely, another Shaman screaming for a lost friend. It was all so distant, however, that she could not even hear the names.
Eventually, she noticed that below Concord Dawn, there was a lone object on the ground, on top of its own island. The building stood in isolation, yet Elise suddenly understood where this building was supposed to be, and what it was.
"You are not the only Mando'ade dissuaded from the Enclave. You will find them there."
Elise nodded in determination, and she looked up. Arr'Huwal's mask floated in the sky, adjacent to Concord Dawn. Elise gazed up at the mask, and she smiled.
"Thank you, Ancient One."
"Be strong, Jac'Eli'Serum. You carry a heavy weight. But, you are not alone. You were never alone."
Concord Dawn was such an important world to Mandalorian history. And funnily enough, the hotter and more tropical weather felt like home. Reminded of Archais by the similar fauna, Elise walked towards the door to the inn with great stride. Her red cloak flowed behind her, and her beskar'gam was freshly cleaned for this trip. Her Novanian Medallion Chains were coiled around her waist, intertwined with her utility belt. Symbols of great importance - her Mandalorian Clan symbol, the Mythosaur, Arr'Huwal's Dreamseer Mask - were etched into the medallions. Her weapons all were carried proudly on her person. The bow on her back, the several pistols at her side, multiple beskar blades, a retracted beskar spear. The sunlight bounced off the white paint of her buy'ce, the light glaring off her t-visor, as she pushed the door open.
Inside, the bar was surprisingly vacant. She spotted the beskar'gams of several vod on the spot, and her heart leapt with joy. After fighting on Lwekk, Elise had little interactions with Mandalorians outside the Enclave members who now called her traitor. Kranak Vizsla's granddaughter shivered just as fast as she had smiled. She was nervous, but she had been drawn way out here. And she trusted Arr'Huwal, no matter how much of a trickster he could be.
Approaching the table, Elise lifted her hands and pulled the red hood off her buy'ce. Her armor was still lightly colored enough that through the windows, light reflected off of her. The Mandalorian exile gave the group a mighty salute.
"Su cuy'gar, my vode. I am Elise Vizsla, of Clan Vizsla. I have heard that you too are in disagreement with the Enclave."
Her voice was strong, but sweet. This was an individual bursting with warm charisma. A sensitive soul with the inner strength to express her thoughts openly. Courageous, but also tender of heart.
"I would have hoped I wasn't the only one."
Perhaps, in time, she could hone the potential leadership skills she was budding. But for now, she at least was confident enough to face the Enclave alone - even though she had feared the isolation that came with fighting her own people.
Drego Ruus
Selle Skern
Anashja Tal
