Kai'el Brat "Guardian of the Light"
Braze could feel the restlessness in his student, and the silent ache to see his friend unbound. The boy's thoughts clung to purpose and nothing else, all other things forgotten. He was young, a blade still learning what it meant to be drawn.
They had returned to Veridia, where Master Tirin watched over the temple grounds. Though Braze bore the mark of exile, cast out by the judgment of Jand Talo and the Order he once called home, Tirin stood beyond their reach, a man who kept his own counsel and answered only to the Force itself. He had shown Braze mercy, allowing him to remain and make use of the temple's halls rather than cast him out.
The Veridian Temple rose from the valley like a relic half-buried in memory, its stones softened by moss and time. Within its still corridors lingered the scent of incense and wet loam, perfumed by the ancient wisteria trees that surrounded what had once been the Ashlanti Elysium. Restored to purpose, the temple served again as a place of learning and healing, both of which Braze still needed. Master Tirin had simply seen as much and offered him sanctuary here. Such sanctuary came with responsibility and rules, spoken and unspoken, as well as the understanding that safety was not absolution.
He made no protest of it, nor sought to test the bounds of Tirin's mercy. At present, the Headmaster oversaw the care of Leo's friend and confidant, who had fallen under the sway of a parasitic entity that fed commands into her mind, eroding her will and bending her to its purpose.
Fortunately, Braze had received word that preparations were complete, and the healer was ready to begin treatment upon his and Leo's return. He padded down the long, echoing hallways, as he made his way toward the medical suite where the girl was kept.
Inside, there was a quiet that was thick and reverent. Master Tirin sat beside her, calm and watchful, while Valin stood nearby, an unfamiliar device in his hands, a strange, intricate construct of his own making, designed for the procedure that lay ahead.
Braze stepped aside, drawing off his long dark cloak and hanging it near the door before moving to wash his hands, giving Leos space to enter. He watched the boy carefully as he joined them, then turned his gaze toward the girl, curious about her and the bond she shared with Leos.
From their earlier conversations, Braze had gathered that she was someone of great importance to him, perhaps a guardian figure who had looked after Leos when his father had cast him aside. If she could be freed from this affliction, her insight might prove invaluable. More than that, Braze hoped the boy might find a measure of peace in seeing his friend restored.
Tirin looked to the two who entered. "Welcome."
The man rose from his seat. Though neither tall nor imposing, there was something in the way the raven-haired master carried himself that spoke volumes of quiet authority and inner strength, the kind born of long years spent mastering both blade and self.
"Leos, I'm glad to see you again. You said you wished to be present, so I'll ask once more; Are you certain you ready to see this through?" The master's voice was calm as he turned those deep heliotrope eyes upon the dark-haired youth.
"The entity has rooted itself deep within her mind. We believe it can be removed by freezing it. Valin has fashioned a tool for this purpose. If we can isolate the source, his device should draw it out without harming her." Tirin explained to the little one.
Valin offered a small smile as he held the device out for Leos to inspect.
"I've tried to design it in a way that provides the most human and comfortable response possible," he explained. "It won't restrain her or cause pain, only slow the parasite's activity long enough to see it removed safely."
The device itself resembled a small handheld blender in size and shape, though its design was far more intricate. A soft silicone rim formed the base, meant to rest gently against the skin and create a secure seal. Within the chamber, a series of stabilizing components were designed to support the protrusion at it's center, meant to hold steady as the internal systems cooled the protrusion, drawing heat and energy away until the parasitic presence could no longer sustain itself. It was certainly designed with care and consideration.
Braze stepped closer to the woman, seeing her for the first time and studying her with a quiet sort of curiosity. This was the friend Leos had spoken of; The one who had stood by him when his father had turned him away. Even beneath the haze of her condition, Braze could sense her presence through the Force, dimmed but not extinguished, like a candle struggling against the wind.
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