For a moment, her face was placid. Almost as placid as Marcello's reaction. She would have said something, but she deserved that. In fact, she'd demanded more from him about Veritas-- and he had told nothing but the truth.
Deep breath. Here she goes.
“When I was fourteen I started having these intense nightmares — which was strange because I had never been a seer, and likely never will be.
These dreams were realistic though, and showed a world I have never seen before, nor heard of. Far more supernatural than I could understand as a Padawan. Each night for about a month if not longer, everything seemed peaceful at first, like I could actually see what The Force created on it’s own — this world was nothing but pure Force energy. It had been beautiful, and then what woke me each time was watching it spoil, seeing the shadow infect and destroy it until the darkness manifested as some unfathomable creature which seemed as if it would look right at me each time — like I wasn’t actually dreaming and it was there with me.”
Kiskla frowned slightly. She’d just told this story to Harland, and it was the most she’d ever put the spotlight on this element of her in her entire life. It felt odd, as if she were betraying something by being so loose lipped. But she didn’t have to worry about it anymore, after the horrendous events on Dagobah, her wardenship was over.
“These visions went away for a long time, about four years until I was eighteen and started training with a new Master — a teacher who showed me what Beyond Shadows was.
The rest of this is going to be supremely long-winded if I keep just..telling you.” At this, Kiskla unfolded her arms and spread her hands to face her palms toward the floor. She hadn’t really used The Force since purging the entity from her being, and it felt strange this time — no hinderance. No barriers.
The Force poured out of her like a theatrical performance, and a younger reflection of herself stood in a setting most Jedi would never encounter: Beyond Shadows. In the distance there was a silhouette of her then teacher, Master Valentine.
The image showed the blonde Jedi looking somewhat distracted, as if she’d heard something, and defecting from her course. The pan followed to her kneeling near a bubbling pit, a pit frothing dangerously. This had been the very location her teacher had instructed her not to venture to — but as everyone is aware, the girl was insatiably curious.
In the present time, Kiskla’s finger twitched and she concentrated on the memory more — making the projection before them seem more realistic.
Kiskla was wondering as usual, and feeling challenged. Abeloth was speaking cryptic tongues, but encouraging the child to creep closer — for motives of her own (possession). She spoke of the blonde as a vessel, with brilliance even in a world made of shadows — but the answers to her visions would not be found here. This caused a questioning look to appear on the teenager’s face, which soon turned to shock as a large tentacle stretched from the abyss and looped around her lower left wrist, alive with the dark side. Kiskla struggled, and with a few twists and kicks and the assistance from her teacher pulling her away, managed to wrangle free.
Abeloth had literally burned her with The Darkside that day, and now all that remained was the stretched skin on her left arm that had been covered by the alchemic cuff. It was naked and exposed now, and itched slightly at the recollection.
Narrating once more, the images receded.
“It’s a long story, but Abeloth told me to go to Mortis. I didn’t know what that was, and the only account of it was from Anakin Skywalker’s days — saying it was a mystical planet that didn’t actually exist. But he’d mentioned it somewhere in wild space. So, I went there.”
That was enough of the introduction to the monastery planet where Kiskla had been for a series of days as their guest for studying. The blonde waved her hand, and a projection of a withering man and eighteen year-old Kiskla appeared.
Mortis
Four Years Ago
The Entity finally spoke: "You are a Warrior of the Light, are you not?
"Yes."
"But you are also the darkside."
"No, I'm not. Nor will I ever be, I won't fall."
"You cannot fall to yourself. I said you are the darkside." He shook his head at her ignorance. "The Force is far more than falling, child. It simply is. It's far more complicated than you make it to be." He drew his hand out for her to look outside. The beast that had been in her room was soaring through the skies, along with a glowing griffin. They were not flying together, but they had little animosity toward each other, although their auras were very different. "You divide it between the Sith and the Jedi, when truly it is a balance of power, and what your drives are. Power, selflessness, protection. It is your heart, not your proclaimed alliance." He glanced over at her, his glowing eyes meeting hers for a moment. "You will never fall to the darkside, young one, but you will become it."
That clicked. She stiffened and furrowed her brow in response. "I cannot.. ?" She was unsure of what he had just said. "That's impossible."
"It isn't, really." He replied with a shrug of his weary shoulders. "I am both. Daughter is the light, Son is the dark. I am the eternal balance that keeps them here, and safe from releasing destruction on your galaxy. With too much light, certain things cannot flourish. And beneath the oppression of the dark, much cannot grow." Pause. "You will not become Sith, nor Jedi. You will simply be, as you simply are now. You do not follow the Jedi Code to a 'T' and have not been part of the Order for as long as you can remember. For now, you are a warrior of the light, because the oppression comes from the prevailing darkness. Their time however. will come. The light will dominate long enough to restore balance in that sense, but once again, the cycle must occur."
"How am I going to do that? A cycle like that would take years, generations in the making."
He turned to face her "Immortality does not fear time."
"I'm not immortal."
He continued, despite her perpetual ignorance. "But, this body of mine has grown weary, and I've seen that it is my time to recede and transfer my energies." He looked at her. "Your aura is fiery and bright. You are defiant and not chained to your beliefs. Your raw power is unheard of, and you've been suppressing it." He drew in a breath and turned to face her "-I will be transferring my power to you. My time here on Mortis has ended. Years ago, I would have asked you stay here in my place. I did that once, and it backlashed. Since then, I have had generations to form a new way to maintain balance between my children, without hindering the Chosen One's position. That had been Skywalker." He reached for her burnt arm and scowled. It had been the monster of old's work, something she had received Beyond Shadows. "Like Abeloth, I will inhabit your body when the balance needs to be executed." He looked at her "-unlike her, I will not kill you. Only fuel you, empower you to your utmost potential. You will execute whatever means necessary to restore this balance between the dark and the light, and with both of our wills combined, the galaxy will have no choice but to submit.
"In my time for thought, I have forged a container for myself, for you to wear at all times.”
Present Day
"I went to Dagobah to purge what was within that Alchemical cuff you know so well.” It had always been cold to the touch, and although it could be a sensational alert for the senses, it was mostly irritating. And 110 times more so for Kiskla, considering what was within it.
“For a long time I’ve been able to suppress it, but in all the recent invasions against the One Sith, they’re an enemy I’ve not met in such strength before. Their Oracle, and Darth Vornskr detected the darkness inside me and sought to expose it. If I kept blindly thinking that this was the way it had to be, that I had to keep this as a part of me, if could have potentially jeopardized everyone around me.
It happened before, and I had no control. The darkness inside that alchemical cuff inhabited me once.
My late master taught me Vaapad to exercise the darkness, to put it on a leash and make it an asset rather than a hinderance. One day, during a lengthly sparring session, I got out of control. I snapped the leash that the darkness was on, and it took over. I became it’s vessel.” She inhaled sharply and coaxed herself to continue;
“My Master saw no alternative but to sever my connect from The Force. So he did. But in doing so, he’d only cut my connection off. Not the darkness’ — which gave it the opportunity for complete, and total control.
I don’t know exactly what happened, but when I gained consciousness a week or so later, My Master was dead. By my hands..without my knowing."
That was her least favourite recollection. It counted as a half on her kill list. Five and a half kills.
“I couldn’t let that happen again, and especially not in a more exposed environment."
“And why the hell Dagobah?” Kiskla recited, nearly word-for-word what [member="Marcello Matteo"] had just demanded.
“A few reasons. If something went wrong, I would be isolated on a planet and the destruction wouldn’t stretch past the remote swamps.
Second, its powerful in The Force, but neutrally so — anchored in a balance which was necessary for me to..” she shrugged at this
“..determine my outcome. For years I’ve been a Master of the Light, but a Mistress to the Dark — maybe I’d been lying to myself. I needed neutrality to know the outcome was genuine, and not swayed by external forces, but of my own volition.
Third, I’ve always wanted to go.” Shallow, but true.
“So Dagobah was the place of the purge, with Hal’s help — strangely enough — The Son was exposed and pulled himself from Beyond Shadows to this realm. He had a grip on me, but not so internally that I was lost. I burned him out with Force Light.” It had been, exhausting. To the point that she was still tingling, bruised, in pain and tired.
“That’s the summary of Dagobah and why.” Her fingers lifted to rub the outside of her nose, her muscles tightening with the motion in resistance.
“But our issue still isn't completely rectified." This was just time for a question period.
