Gaining an Insight (Arisa)

[Kaden]

VOSS ACADEMY​

The Archives​

Each step brought pain with it. A sharp twinge, a recent reminder of the most intense engagement the Sith had ever been a part of. Fitting, then, that such a battle occurred on planet steeped in darkness but governed by light: Dromund Kaas. It reflected Kaden's own nature; one he tried to suppress whilst within the temple, lest he agitate his fellow Jedi.

However, the wounds were fresh and weren't purely physical. The words of another pureblood he'd met, and fought, weighed down his mind. It seemed that conflict would be a part of Kaden's psyche for the foreseeable future and, today, he did not care to suppress such emotions.

He strode into the archives with purpose, donning the robes he'd been wearing for millennia. His armour was too heavy to bother with whilst he recovered.

A cough rattled the pureblood's lungs as he made his way through centuries of accumulated knowledge towards a private section of the library.

The door hissed softly as it pulled open and Kaden stepped into the small room, standing tall despite his wounds. He studied its contents for a time, which consisted mostly of bookcases and a few chairs, before his amber gaze settled on a woman.

"Arisa Yune?" he asked, his voice reminiscent of scraping stone on stone.

[member="Arisa Yune"]​

 

[Eugen Aker]

As the wounded pureblood almost seemed to stagger through the doorway, he would find a young Atrisian woman leaning forward in her seat at a small table, looking deeply concerned. Through the Force, his pain was clear as day.

She was quick to rise from her chair and glide over to him to offer him a helping hand to one of the vacant seats adjacent to hers.

"If I had known your current state, then I would had ask you to hold off on meeting with me. Your owh health comes first and foremost."

There had been a lot of surprises at Dromund Kaas, not the least of which being the appearance of a Sith Jedi, a new member who had joined the ranks of the Silver Jedi while Arisa had been off on a military expedition in support of the Galactic Alliance in the south.

She had never ecountered a Sith pureblood before in the flesh, that ancient all but extinct. Even with the knowledge of a few of them still bumping around today, in all of her previous studies, she hadn't come across any stories of them becoming a Jedi. The dogma of a Jedi seemed anethetical to the culture of the original Sith.

This Kaden fellow was quite the mystery, to say the least. One the Sentinel hoped to unravel in due time. However, first, she needed to ensure that he didn't croak along the way.

"Do I have your permission to use the Force? Healing isn't exactly my trade, but I know a few things that may help ease your pain. Would you like to go to the infirmary?"

Asking these questions, she tried too hard not to stare, but it was difficult as she was now standing face to face with a piece of living history. First Jakkor, now him. These were interesting times for the amateur historian!

[member="Kaden"]

 

[Kaden]

Tendrils twitched involuntarily in surprise. It was not often, nay - it was never - that someone had made a fuss over the Pureblood's well-being. This bright aura of compassion and genuine interest was nearly blinding to the young Sith, who could only manage a dismissive grunt and a curt shake of his head.

She was warm.

He was frigid.

The contrast between the two Jedi was stark. It was always going to be. He was Sith, she was something pure. He coddled his pain, nurtured its uncomfortable twinges, because it strengthened him; focused him. This was not the Jedi way, yet he still chose to do it. His path was one less traveled; skirting dangerously close to the shadowy embrace of the dark side. Truth was, he'd never truly walked in the crushing passion of the dark side. Something Jedi was always present; always steering him clear.

Reflecting over this took only a second for Kaden, who was as insightful as he was red. He spoke again, this time in a softer tone.

"Save your powers, Master Yune. I am quite comfortable in my current state." To shatter this illusion, another cough rattled his lungs briefly. "Though, if you can get rid of sickness; by all means, do so."

[member="Arisa Yune"]​

 

[Eugen Aker]

"Don't play tough with me," she said, her voice stern. "Your act helps nothing and no one but your pride."

Despite his weak protests and claims of being fine, she found him to be anything but. It did not escape the empath's attention that she now held a troubled soul within her grasp. Hurt physically, mentally, and perhaps spiritually. Something about his turbulent aura didn't surprise her, from what she knew of the Sith's history. His disturbed aura reminded of her of past struggles as a Padawan in the midst of total war between the One Sith and Old Republic. So many times had she strayed toward the darkness as the lacked the guidance of a master of their own. All of the old masters had died or skipped off to greener pastures until she nearly stood alone as one of the last Jedi of the Republic.

"We're definitely taking a trip down to the infirmary, but first, I would like to show you something. Close your eyes, and meditate with me."

She took her seat again, then offered one of her hands for Kaden to hold. With some tactile feedback, she would be able to get her message across to the man quickly without a need to go too deep into explanations.

[member="Kaden"]

 

[Kaden]

His ridged eyebrows fell into a stark frown and a tendril on his chin twitched. Despite her compassion, the woman didn't understand him. He drew strength from pain; focus from suffering. He'd contracted a chest infection in the aftermath of Kaas, which was most definitely unwanted, but the pain? The throbbing nerves? Kaden embraced it. Perhaps with time - and Jedi training - he'd come to favor drawing from other wells of strength, but for now he was a Sith adapting to a Jedi's world.

"Pride is integral to my species; my culture," He remarked, before sitting himself down in the seat adjacent to Arisa.

His frown turned into a quizzical arch as she held out her hand. An amber gaze fixated itself on her fingers and hesitation drowned the Sith in the moments following. Eventually, his crimson hand - lined with cartilage ridges on the top - reached out and gripped Arisa's own. It was a firm hold, warm to the touch. His hand was calloused yet carried with it a hidden softness - almost gentle in its grasp.

Red eyelids fell shut and Kaden's mind withdrew within itself.

He was ready for whatever she had to show him.

[member="Arisa Yune"]​

 

[Eugen Aker]

Begrudging, the Sith seemed to follow her instructions, though not without offering retort to her comment about the dangers of pride. In that moment, she was reminded of another troublesome pupil who struggled with certain cultural convictions that held her back from accepting the Jedi path.

"Think of it this way," she said as they settled down for meditation, closing her eyes. "What pride can be taken in walking around injured within one of the most advanced medical centers in the galaxy, purposely remaining a burden to those around you? There is no shame in accepting aid, it will leave you much stronger in the end."

In her response, the Jedi Master had just shared an important facet of Jedi life. Their way was one of collaboration, working better at achieving their goals by acting as one. In this way, even a small cohort of well-coordinated Jedi could triumph against legions of Sith.

"Now, try to clear your mind of all thoughts, and focus on the pain."

She would give him some time to do as she said here before moving on, as it was a crucial step in healing medidation.

"When you've done that, identify the the regions that now bring you the most discomfort, then focus your energy into these areas. Channeling excess energy will help accelerate tissue repair or stabalize critical injuries."

She would come in at this stage, adding her own energy to assist in rengeration. However, instead of pure Force energy, she would overflow with power of the Light Side of the Force, that spectrum of the Force ideal for healing and pain relief.

[member="Kaden"]