Private Vergence in the Wood

[Corazona von Ascania]

Even though the Harvest Festival was over, Cora had elected to spend another week in her home territory. It was nice to be away from Axilla, and even the modern luxuries of Ukatis' capital city could not compare to the rolling fields and bright skies of her rural home.

It also gave her the opportunity to interact more with the off-world guests who'd come for the festival. Or more particularly, the friends she'd left behind for an arraigned marriage.

It her husband minded his wife's absence, she would deal with his temper later.

Cora had asked Valery to meet her at the stables if she was feeling up to it. She hadn't seen her former Master since her daring rescue from Danton's clutches, a situation that had left the Sword in a weakened state.

Although they hadn't interacted much during the festivities, Cora was relieved to see that Valery was back to her old self—at least from what she could see on the outside. The Force hadn't been giving her as much insight as it usually did, not since her wedding.

Dressed in riding clothes, the Princess waited for Valery while running her hand down the muzzle of a chestnut steed. The horse whinnied softly, to which she grinned.

As much as she appreciated pretty things, it was nice to be out of the corsets and gowns for once.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Ukatis

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Outfit: Simple casual wear
Tag: Corazona von Ascania

While Valery didn't own a horse, or any gear one would have to ride a horse, she figured some simple clothes that could get dirty would be fine. Jeans, taller boots, and a tight shirt she had tucker into her pants was the outfit for today, and for some strange reason, it felt like a relief for that to be the biggest thing to worry about - clothes.

Especially after everything that had happened recently.

The capture and torture she was subjected to had left her scarred, and even though she looked strong on the outside, she was still recovering from it all. So even though a trip to Ukatis had some tension to it, Valery just embraced the fact that she was spending time with her family. From going on walks with Kahlil Noble , to seeing Vera raise an army of racyons at the festival, and of course, being able to bring the triplets along on a small family vacation.

It was everything she needed and more, now that it seemed so likely that war would return to the Galaxy.

"Cora?" Valery asked, as she entered the stables, and soon spotted the younger woman with her horse. For just a moment, Valery froze up, looked her Padawan in the eyes, and felt her eyes tear up a little. She hadn't gotten a chance to really thank her, so without wasting a second, she lunged forward and wrapped her arms around Cora to pull her into a tight hug.

"It's good to see you again,"

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

Cora hadn't given much thought to how their first actual meeting in a long while would go—but she certainly hadn't expected to feel a sudden emotional swell when she locked eyes with Valery.

With little more than a beat passing between them, the Jedi Master had all but tackled her into a hug. Cora swayed softly, her arms tightening around Valery's upper back as her eyes prickled and her chest tightened.

It had been months since she'd felt any honest affection. The life of a Princess had been far lonelier than she'd imagined.

"It's…it's good to see you too, Master Noble."

Cora's voice was a low, wavering whisper. She blinked back unshed tears, then drew in a shuddering breath.

A squeeze, and she pulled back just enough to rest her hands on Valery's shoulders.

"I'm glad that you and Kahlil and the kids were able to come. I was worried that…."

Worried that their perception of her home had been soured too much to not set foot on Ukatis. But they, and so many other had come through. Even floating among them as royalty had warmed her courtly exterior.

"I'm also glad to see that you're recovering. We haven't had much of a chance to talk since…"

Another lingering sentence she ended with a watery smile.

"How have you been?"

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Ukatis

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Outfit: Simple casual wear
Tag: Corazona von Ascania

"It's…it's good to see you too, Master Noble."

Always polite, and so very kind and gentle. Valery could feel the emotion in her voice, and tightened her hug just a little bit to keep the younger woman close. It almost felt unreal to be able to hold Cora like this after Cora's decision to be on Ukatis, and after what had happened to her more recently.

"Of course we came, and we had a lot of fun," Valery then assured her, after pulling back from the hug. "Vera had the time of her life and-" Vera. Valery blinked, reached into her pocket and folded open a piece of paper, "Vera asked me to give this to you. It's a drawing she made," Valery said before she offered it to Cora. It was a simple drawing of the whole Noble family lined up, but with Vera herself holding Cora's hand.


"It'd mean the world to her if you'd keep it." She didn't know if she could, given her current living conditions, but she knew how much it meant to her little star, so it was worth asking as a mother.

"I'm also glad to see that you're recovering. We haven't had much of a chance to talk since…"

Valery paused for a moment, and let out a soft sigh. "I've seen better days, but thanks to you, Capris and Kahlil, I will be alright. I've gotten a lot of support and I'm already on duty again too." A smirk now took over, as she looked at the horse. "That said, I'd love to distract myself a bit with some fun though."

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

Cora's smile grew as Valery described the good time her family had at the festival, but the paper garnered a curious look.

The fingers of one hand pressed tightly against her lips while Cora looked at the drawing in awe. Vera had always been handy with the crayons, but to receive something that indicated Cora as part of the Noble family kicked up a lot of emotions. Mostly good ones.

"Oh, of course!" She gasped and quickly accepted the paper, grinning widely and glassy eyed.

Cora wondered if Vera had asked about her absence, and how her parents could have explained her situation to their daughter in an age-appropriate manner. She didn't want Vera to think that she'd abandoned the Jedi, even if that was closer to the truth than she'd like.

"Tell her that I absolutely love it, and will keep it as close to me as I can." Carefully folding the paper, she tucked it away and into her satchel. Her initial instinct had been to frame it, but Horace might decide to burn that too.

Nodding along, Cora followed Valery's gaze over to the horse. For a moment, she simply breathed in the scents of hay and wood.

"I'm very pleased to hear that you're doing better. I actually asked you here because there are some troubling rumors of the forest near the edge of my family's territory—I'd like your help in investigating them."

A pause, and she waved her hands quickly in front of her face.

"N-not that this is the only reason I asked you, of course! I certainly missed you, and wanted to see how you were doing."

Cora placed a hand on the horse's neck to steady her fluster then cleared her throat.

"Do you know how to ride? The journey will be short, and we have several horses who're prepared if you'd like one. You can ride with me if you're not used to a mount."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Ukatis

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Outfit: Simple casual wear
Tag: Corazona von Ascania

Valery's heart swelled with motherly pride when Cora seemed eager and excited to accept the drawing. Being able to go home and tell Vera it was where it belonged would make her incredibly happy. "Of course, I'll tell her as soon as I get home," Valery then said with a bright smile. Her little star was going to love hearing about today, and Valery could already picture her bouncing up and down from excitement in her mind.

But with the more emotional part of this meeting covered, it was time to shift focus.

Valery turned to the horse, spending a moment admiring its beauty before Cora began about investigating a troubling rumor of some kind. Valery perked a brow, and started to snicker when Cora waved her hand and seemed flustered in a very Cora way. "It's alright, and you know I'm always more than happy to help you."

She then stepped towards another horse, smirked and gently placed her hand on its neck, "I learned to ride a Varactyl a long time ago, so maybe that counts?" Valery grinned, and began to work her way up on the horse's back. Maybe it'd take a brief moment to figure out, but there was no way she'd miss out on this.

The thrill of a ride on horseback couldn't be ignored by a true Noble.

"So, what are these rumors about exactly?"

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

A varactyl? "Mm, we'll see." Cora mused with an arched brow. Once the horses were properly saddled and their riders mounted, the Princess would guide them into a trot across a rolling field and explain their mission.

"There's a forest that borders Ascania province. Specifically, part of it is on my family's land, and the rest is in Faron territory. I know the woods well, but only as far as the Ascania boundary. I learned at the festival that parts of the forest in Faron have been dying at an alarming rate."

She explained as they moved through the perimeter of a field that was being tilled by workers. A woman in a straw hat, secured to her head with a scarf that wrapped underneath her chin, bowed as they passed by. Cora smiled, offering a polite wave and a nod in greeting before returning to her explanation.

Once they were out of earshot from the peasants, Cora nudged her horse into a canter so that they could move quicker, but not into a full gallop.

"I'm sure I've mentioned it in bits and pieces, but fifteen years ago Ukatis was caught in a massive civil war over the former King's isolationist policies. House Throaen was removed from power, but many of these fields were the site of bloody battles. Towns and villages were burned, and it was the people who did most of the dying."

Cora had been young when this all took place, too young to have the terrors of war and power fully impressed on her. Marcel, who had been heavily involved in the war on the side of the current ruling family, had made sure to instill in his older children the duty to protect their people at any cost.

"There's a village in Faron right near the forest called Wyndvane that was completely razed to the ground, but no bodies were ever found. Not a single one. Not even any discarded or destroyed weapons or supplies from Throaen forces…"

The edge of the forest came into view, thick green trees and brush dotting the horizon in the distance. Cora cleared her throat as she called out over the wind.

"Anyway, I'm not sure if that has anything to do with what's going on considering that it happened so long ago. It might not even be true, but no one has been allowed to investigate that area of Faron territory since then."

Cora gave Valery a bashful smile.

"I think it's worth checking out the rumors of the forest dying, even if we have to keep this quiet."


Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Ukatis

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Outfit: Simple casual wear
Tag: Corazona von Ascania

It took Valery a moment to adjust to being on top of a horse, but Varactyl were very tricky to ride as well, so she had some experience that counted, at the very least. The Force was also a useful guide, allowing her to connect with an animal just a little more, and keep it calm and focused.

Even so, she clearly struggled at first to keep up with Cora, who was likely a far more experienced rider. This didn't bother Valery, though, because even if they had a little mission to focus on here today, she still wanted to feel like this trip was meant to be a distraction as well. Riding on a horse through a forest and feeling the wind blowing through her hair sure helped with that. But when Cora offered more details on what was going on, she felt a growing need to be more serious.

A dying forest around the location of bloody battles from fairly long ago?

"Maybe the ground is contaminated?" Valery offered as a first explanation. "Although, I have a feeling it's something a little more mysterious with all those people disappearing." She wasn't quite sure yet, but the Force was flowing very differently up ahead. It surely couldn't be a coincidence that the forest was dying specifically where those battles had been.

"Do you feel that as well?" Valery then asked, as a shiver went down her spine.

"It's so... cold."

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

From the corner of her eye, Cora noticed Valery's initial struggle. There was the barest hint of a smirk tilting her lips, but she subtly slowed her own mount's trot so that they could stay level with one another.

It wasn't that she was pleased to watch her former Master have difficulties, but Valery was so far above her in nearly every aspect of being a Jedi that this soothed Cora's ego a bit. That was to be expected, though—Valery was a honed Jedi Master who'd more than likely had her own fair share of strife as a Padawan. For as long as Cora had known her, the Sword had been open about the adversity she'd experienced as an initiate.

The conversation deepened as they rode on, distracting both women from the trials and tribulations that came with riding on horseback.

"Mm…possibly." Cora uncurled a hand from the reigns and cupped her chin in thought. "As grotesque as it sounds, bodies tend to make the land more fertile. We've experience quite the opposite of that since the war ended—every year the soil becomes a little harder to work."

She spoke as if she'd been farming for her whole life, but really, this knowledge had been passed down by her father and the other Lords who were in charge of farming provinces. That did not preclude Cora from making her own observations about harvest outputs and crop quality.

"Do you feel that as well?" Valery then asked, as a shiver went down her spine.

"It's so... cold."

Cora shifted awkwardly in the saddle, squinting into the rapidly approaching tree line. She concentrated, attempting to extend her meager senses outward…

"…I don't." She confessed. "Not really. Something doesn't feel right, but I can't exactly feel any changes in the Force."

She bit her lower lip. It was almost like having a limb removed.

Can't exactly feel much of the Force at all.

Cora made sure to slow the horses as they trotted into the forest. Lush green foliage greeted them, but their surroundings were starting to wilt. Vivid colors dulled, leaves and stems and stalks wilting as if they were being gradually drained of life. It only seemed to get worse the further in they went.

A shudder trawled up Cora's spine. She wouldn't be able to sense it as viscerally, but the cold feeling Valery had described, along with threads of the Dark, would be amplified.

"Do you feel anything more?"

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Ukatis

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Outfit: Simple casual wear
Tag: Corazona von Ascania

"I see," Valery said with a frown, not so much because of the grotesque nature of the details, but because of what it really implied. People had been killed here, yet the forest was dying. There had to be something far darker that was causing it now, and the cold shivers she felt through the Force only confirmed that to the Jedi Master. Cora, however, seemed less sensitive to it for now, and Valery could only wonder just how much her time away from the Jedi had dulled her sensed and connection.

If they hadn't been on a mission that had her so worried, she'd have asked about.

"Just be careful. Places absent of life can be very overwhelming to Force-sensitive people." Valery, in particular, was highly sensitive to these voids in the Force, and it showed as they slowed down and approached the part of the forest that seemed to slowly be drained of life. Valery looked little pale all of a sudden, and drew in short, sharper breaths of air while she tried to adjust to a feeling that was painfully familiar.

"I just feel darkness...cold, and suffering," Valery said, before she stopped and got off of her horse all of a sudden. "A while ago, my husband and I experienced something like this during a trial on Lothal. I learned something there that could maybe help." Valery took in a small breath, and thought back to that journey with Kahlil Noble on Lothal. The one rune she had learned in combination with his could restore life to something that was no more. As she tapped into it for the first time, a bright rune lit up on her chest, its introcate patterns swirling around her heart in particular. The leaves, grass, trees and plants around her slowly began to regain their color, their life.

But not for long.

As the rune under her shirt disappeared, the darkness of something deeper in the forest started to reclaim what Valery had tried to heal. "This is worrying," she said, her eyes turning to Cora with a much deeper frown.

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

Cora glanced to Valery from the corners of her eyes, gaze lingering on the Jedi Master's form when overwhelming was mentioned.

Valery certainly seemed unsettled, and that was worrying. Cora felt uneasy too, but was unsure if she was responding to darker shifts in the Force, or if she was just soaking in the bleak mood.

That question did rattle her a little more thoroughly, but as Valery dismounted to examine the decaying flora, her focus shifted. Following her lead, Cora slipped from the saddle and secured the reigns of both mounts to one of the sturdier looking tree trunks. The brush would be difficult to navigate on horseback the further they went, so their investigation was best continued on foot.

A bright sigil of light flared to life on Valery's chest, and Cora could only look on in awe as her former Master restored the life and vigor to the desiccated plants around her. But, as the rune faded, so did the circle of spring greenery around Valery.

Cora chewed on the inside of her cheek as she watched the grass wilt beneath her feet. If Valery was worried, then Cora was very very worried.

"Was what you and Master Kahlil saw on Lothal, similar to this? I've never seen anything like it."

Boots crunched against the stiffened grass as Cora stepped closer to Valery and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"This is the edge of Ascania territory. I'm not sure what lies beyond it…" Her face turned towards the distant wood, which seemed sicklier and even more foreboding than their current surroundings. In the distance, further than they could see, flowed a river that was dredged in darkness.

"…but are you alright to continue? We can head back to the village, rest up, and make a plan if needed."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Ukatis

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Outfit: Simple casual wear
Tag: Corazona von Ascania

Valery seemed disappointed that her efforts couldn't fix the issue, but at the same time, it also offered her some answers. Whatever was causing this had a constant grip on the forest, and wasn't just something that had happened once to taint this place. A corrupting presence lingered in the woods. "Yes, but also no," Valery then answered when Cora asked her about Lothal. "On Lothal, it was a trial of sorts, where my husband and I tapped into some ancient runes. This is far more harmful than what happened there."

She still didn't seem to understand it all herself. This was her husband's area of expertise.

Valery then turned her gaze to Cora, who had placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. A brighter smile was offered, and her skin already seemed to regain some of its color. "We can't turn back now, and I'll be alright. My strength in the Force is tied very closely to life, so in great absence of it, I need a moment to adjust." It was a weakness she had once discovered in the days of the Old Republic, but only recently she learned just how serious it could be.

"We should try to get to the source of this. The focal point," Valery then continued, before she started walking forward. "It's going to get a lot darker than this."

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

Cora studied Valery's face for a few drawn out moments. For as long as she'd known her, the Jedi Master was never one to treat a moment with anything less than the severity it deserved.

It was all just…worrying. But she had a duty to uphold, and Cora took safeguarding her people very seriously. To her, being a protector was the highest honor one could have.

"Right." She nodded. "I will not lie, this is more than a little unsettling. Rumors can be tricky things and sometimes turn out to be benign." Her hand fell away from Valery's shoulder as she peered into the distance. "But I am glad that we're investigating this now. Hopefully we can put a stop to whatever is causing this-" She gestured to the desiccated plant life around them. "-before it can get worse."

One they'd regathered themselves, the Master and her former student ventured further into the dark forest, stepping carefully as they went along.

Despite her sensitivity to the Force being drastically reduced, Cora began to feel uneasy. That feeling worsened as they continued, burrowing deeper inside and spreading through her body like a sickness. Similar to Valery, her already pale skin began to clam up.

Another step forward, and she was lightheaded. Cora pressed a hand to the crumbling, dried bark of a dying tree and gingerly leaned her weight against it. Her breathing was coming in labored huffs, but she could feel a visceral energy radiating from something up ahead. No doubt Valery, a fully realized Master with her senses intact, would be able to pinpoint the source.

A visually unassuming river that cut through the woods. Strangely, the plant life at its banks had withered to ash, as if burned by flame. But there was no smoke, no charcoal, no evidence of fire anywhere nearby.

Just the rhythmic noise of rushing water, a sound that was normally soothing.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Ukatis

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Outfit: Simple casual wear
Tag: Corazona von Ascania

"We'll figure this out together," Valery said with a more confident smirk directed at her Padawan, meant to lift up their spirits. Because as troubling as all of this was, she had seen so much in het life already, and solved so many other mysterious problems. Together with a mind as young and strong as Cora's, Valery wasn't worried about being able to solve the problems here. It was just a matter of time and commitment to the cause.

One that felt strangely sayisfying, given the mixture of emotions that surrounded Ukatis after what happened. Not that any of that mattered - she was a Jedi and the people here needed her help.

Together, the Master and student walked deeper into the Forest, and while Valery was finally able to adjust a bit to the void, Cora seemed to struggle a lot more now that they were getting closer. "Take a short moment to rest, but don't stand still too long. You'd think catching your breath would help, but the longer we stay here, the worse it's going to get," Valery told her when she leaned against a dying tree to rest for a moment. But Valery was already sensing ahead, and soon spotted what she believed to be the source of it all - a river.

Perhaps all those bodies had been dropped in there?

"Wait here," Valery said, not wanting to draw Cora too close before she knew more. With careful steps, she then approached the water, and as soon as she stepped into death and decay, she could feel her feet getting heavy, while her knees grew weaker. She struggled to stand, let alone walk, but pushed herself through to get closer to the water.

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

Consciously, Cora attempted to slow her breathing and the erratic beating of her heart. Master Noble had taught her to meditate through her fears and concerns, to acknowledge and be at peace with her thoughts and feelings.

She couldn't do that here, and it had little to do with her dampened connection to the Force. The atmosphere was deeply unsettling.

"Be careful." She croaked, voice laced with concern as Valery strode carefully towards the water.

With each step Valery took, she'd feel the heavy weight of darkness on her shoulders, squeezing her lungs and dragging her pace. Tendrils of gloom would attempt to bore into her mind, probing with reckless abandon at the Jedi Master's psyche. When she finally reached the withering banks, the rushing waters, murky with ichor would attempt to compel her forward.

G̸̨̝̰̭̖̭͈̔̀̑͜ī̴̞̤̝̀̇͝v̶̪̹̘̱͎͊̀̈̊͝ḛ̴͔̘̭̣̓͊ ̶̥̜̲̈̽y̸̪̓̉̍͒͑̌̂͆ȍ̷̤̳̭͖̍̀̅̀̕u̴̡̱̇r̸̡̡͕͈̣̺̰̦͂̈́͐̈́̌͗̆͘͘ͅs̴̲̼̰͈̩̜̞͊̀̿͒̓́͝ͅe̵̻͐́̔̽̓̈͝͠l̵͚̥̺̥̣̦̮̺̭̉̀̋̑͗̒f̸͕̟̜͖̯̋̉͛̓̏̕͝͝ ̷̝͚̈́͒̐̅͠ṫ̸̮̲̊o̴͔͔̘͎̖͇̾͛ ̴̥̳̠̐̀͗͂m̴̲̫̥̹̫͔̙̏͐̄̑e̷̱͕͎̖͆̈.̷̨̹̟̼̘͇͇̋ͅ ̵̟̭̤͔̬͗̇͑̂̽̈ͅͅṠ̷̮̬̯͖̱̅̍̀̋̊͋̽ư̸̭̞͉̰̿̇b̷̧̢̬̖̿̓̂͛̌̏̍ͅm̷̮̲̩̖̹̞̖͂̇̈́̋̀́͜ȩ̸̯͔̟͉͕̐̉ŕ̸̡̢̖̱͗́̀g̴͚̫͋͒͑́͋̀͝e̴̞̩̖͎͚̹̅̈́̓ͅ ̵͚̦̟̝̾͆y̵͎̯͕̲͒̋͑̎͂̄̆̚ơ̵̯̙̙̹̼̟̹͍̈͂̎̀͐̅͝ù̸̼̟͖̜̫̰̣̟͕̊͒͐̀̔̚r̷͕͔̖͚̣̈́͝ṡ̶̲̓̇͛͠ȩ̸̛͍̣̱̯̟̜̘̔̓̽̄l̷̗̖̞̪̱̟͉̝̦͝f̴̨̦̦̉͋͊̂ ̴͖͉̰̠́̋͗͜͝w̶̛͈̞̠̙̖̙͝í̸̥̝̦̬̤͗̎̈͋̆͛̚ẗ̸͈͈̭̪̺͕͑̍ḩ̴̢̫͈͈̅͛́͂̀̉i̴̘̅̀͂̓͂̐̂͆ņ̵͇͚̐́͋̐͘͝ ̵̱̭̩͍̀̾͝m̵̩̼̜͍͓͉͗̓͂̿ē̸̡̹̉̽̅̀͒̚,̸͙̪̇̄ ̵̹̭̺̮̊͛̆͆͂̅͂͜͝͝a̷̳͖̣̜̥̲̭̟̽̿͋̍̍n̴̬̞̺̓̍̿̉͘͠d̴͎̗̠̹̪̯̆̈́̈̃͘ ̶̢͎̤̱̎̈͒͗͊̈̈́̔͝I̴̢͎͍͓͊̇ ̶̢̧̛̝͍͓̪̜̟̺̈́̈̅̇̈̃̐s̶̢̟̬̤̺͙̗̆́̆̃̀̌ḫ̸̢̋á̶̘̂̈́̑l̷̨̨͓̳̘̺̹̃͗̽́͠͝l̵̪̘͕̖̃͑̈́̕ ̴͙̗̣̖̐͑̐́m̴̫̘̻̜̤͊̄̒̇a̶̗͑́̑̆̕͠k̶̡̢̛̛̪̙̲̥͇̮̂̈́̿̅͘e̶̡̞̲͕̮͋́̋ ̴̼͍̼̬̺̫͇̗͓͊́͛̍͗̕͘y̴̥̪͇̩̼͉͎̅o̸̘̞̬̣̰͖͜͝ų̴͚̮̹̫͈̩̞͒͂̀͊́̚̕ ̷̢͎͙̗̘̯͖̃͋̉͛̆p̷̰̆́̾́̐̇o̶͉͚̠͔̰̥̻̗͗̅͜w̸̡̢̟̝͖̭̗̠̼͒̌͒̐̿̒̚e̶̪̺͕̒͠r̴͚̫̳̿̓̒f̶͚̪̘̳̻̅̌̔̑̊̐̀̕͠ŭ̵̺̗̫̍͑̌̓l̵̥͓̰̭̼̎͊.̸̧͈͎͓̓​

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Ukatis

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Outfit: Simple casual wear
Tag: Corazona von Ascania

At the the riverbank, Valery froze.

She didn't utter a word and moved no muscles, as her eyes stared blankly into the rushing water. The wind continued to gently blow around her, lifting her long hair and making it wave along with its turbulent currents, but the Master herself remained completely still, entranced by the way the water moved around sticks and stone. The Force was often described to be like a flowing river, its currents seemingly endless and always in harmony with nature around it.

But there was nothing natural about these currents.

"Cora." Her tone lacked emotion, and a tremor of danger echoed through the bond between Master and Padawan while the air suddenly felt much colder. But Valery didn't continue what she was going to say, and with an erratic breath leaving her lips after a brief moment of silence, she sunk down to her knees by the water, as dark words tried to invade her mind. The void in the Force made her otherwise impenetrable mind a fortress with faults, and the longer she sat alone, the more it consumed her.

Finally, Valery's eyes closed, and she fell forward into the water.

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

"Cora."

The base of her throat tightened. Every muscle tensed. There was something markedly wrong about the way Valery spoke her name, compounded by the way their bond vibrated almost threateningly. Cora struggled to make sense of it, trying to parse out the strange foreboding feelings surrounding her Master when—

Splash!

"Valery!"

Her legs felt like lead, but a surge of adrenaline propelled her forward. Time slowed and sped all at once, and the few seconds it took her to reach Valery felt like hours.

The apprentice's dulled connection to the Force came in handy for once—the dark energies of the river didn't affect her as viscerally—but murky tendrils still brushed against her mind as she stepped into the waters and hooked her arms beneath the fallen Master's own.

Ç̸̠̯̋̌̿̽͆̚͜͝ở̶̞̹̺̉m̷̫̜̮̀͐͌̊̃̋͠e̸̪̯̣̖͓̔̈́̃͋̒ ̴̨̝̙̪͍͕̤͇̗̞͎̗͈͕̫͐͋t̵̢̛͎̙͒̂̊̀̂o̵̦͔͂̉̎̈́̊̓̓͛̕ ̶̟͖̮͈͕̺̟̬̥̱̓̏̓͆̐̌̀̽m̷̛͕̩̞͓̳͍̈́̃̂̀̀̀̈͂̒̕e̶̢̢̡̛͕͚̰̣̯͙̪̠̰̼͈͍̊̀̎̾​

Eyes dilated impossibly wide, Cora stiffened. Her grip of Valery gradually slackened as the voice of the river echoed seductively in her head. She didn't understand it, but for some reason it was both perilous and intensely alluring. Something wasn't right, and in a moment of clarity, the Princess shook her head as if she'd been slapped.

Summoning the last of her strength allowed her to hoist Valery from the river, faltering as soon as they were upright. Both Master and Padawan collapsed heavily onto the riverbank. Cora's breath came in panicked huffs, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she sprawled onto her back.

"M-Master?" She gasped, rolling over to shake Valery's shoulder frantically while fighting back a wave of vertigo as her speech slurred and her vision started to narrow. "Have to…go out…fromnn.."

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Ukatis

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Outfit: Simple casual wear
Tag: Corazona von Ascania

Valery didn't respond or cooperate when Cora hooked her arms underneath her own, and felt like dead weight until the moment she was dropped on the riverbank. Her skin was sickeningly pale, her eyes were closed and it seemed as if her chest was no longer rising and falling. Even when her shoulders were shook, her body moved as if her brain no longer sent any pulses through her nervous system, and the bond between Master and Padawan felt almost as weak as that day she was captured.

But it was when Cora's own vision reached its darkest point, mere seconds before it threatened to black her out entirely, that Valery's eyes shot open. A jet of water was coughed up, but despite her own discomfort, her focus was on her Padawan. The barrier that had supposed to protect her own mind now extended to Cora, shielding her mind from darkness with a much warmer embrace.

She wasn't going to allow this river to take either of them.

"Come on, Cora," Valery said, her voice strained as she rolled over. "We've got to move."

With great difficulty, Valery got up to her feet and readied herself to help Cora if she needed it, before stumbling further and further away from the river. She possessed the strength and powers to cleanse this place, but knowing how much a void of life affected her, she no longer figured it should be done alone. She needed help from other Jedi — a united front that she could guide.

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

The darkness that clouded Cora's mind, gradually siphoning the life from her was burned away. Forced back by the strength of a Jedi Master, fed through the bond that tethered them.

Together, Teacher and Student stumbled away from the river, only stopping when they were far away enough to resist its draw.

Cora had clung to Valery as they moved, and only when the grass beneath their feet turned from straw yellow to pale green did she have enough strength to unwind her hand from Valery's shirt.

"What…what was that?" She managed to gasp, leaning heavily against the bark of a tree. "That felt awful."

A pause to catch her breath before she flicked her concerned gaze over to Valery.

"A-Are you alright?"

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Ukatis

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Outfit: Simple casual wear
Tag: Corazona von Ascania

"A very potent Dark Side Nexus," Valery said after she helped Cora plop down against a tree. Valery herself remained standing, and raised a hand up through her soaked hair to just get it out of her face. "I've encountered them before, and even cleansed several. But this one... the void of life is too much on me alone. I'll need some help to do it," she said, not afraid to admit that this situation wasn't really meant for her.

Her connection to the Living Force was too strong, and she depended too much on it.

"I'm alright," Valery then said, trying to reassure her Padawan with a smile. "Just swallowed too much water, and I got my hair and clothes all soaked now." She sighed and without thinking, Valery began to pull up her shirt... until her eyes fell on Cora, and she realized their last encounter involving too much skin.

She quickly turned around, back facing the younger woman, and took off her shirt to squeeze as much water out of it as she could. "Sorry about that," she said with a chuckle. "But uh, are you doing alright? I hope the nexus didn't leave a lingering pain on the mind? Sometimes it can take a while to fade entirely."