Public Whispers in the Mist

[Detritus Ren]

​

Jin had wandered the galaxy for years, yet he didn’t know how long. Every once in a while he would get flashes and images that would spread across his own fractured mind. Still all roads had led him home. He was the son of a dark sider, and his mother perhaps a prominent witch that he despised most of all. Still, he couldn’t deny a sense of longing and mystery that tugged at him. In the end he would go back home above all else. The red planet he hadn’t seen in years. Not since the death of his father and the collapse of an Empire that he sought to built.

“Far above, far above we don’t know where we’ll fall.” Jin would say in a half mad sing song about a rhyme his mother recalled to him. “Far above, far above what once was great is rendered small.” He would finish the rhyme with a sickening tone, and all of it had coincided with another half mad laugh. The small shuttle he was on quickly descended through the red atmosphere, all the same he would feel something pulling at him as the ship descended to the planet below.

Once the craft had landed to the opening of a thick jungle, Jin would slowly disembark. He walked cautiously, as the grey hair heading close to his shoulders would gently billow with the breeze moving. The dark sider wandered carefully, stepping ever so slightly from the safety of his own ship. The man descended further into the red mists of the jungle. As he walked memories would come to him, of how he had once been a boy molded by ideals of freeing his world, only to experience the horrors of war, and now he had returned in a chaotic galaxy to unlock a power that he felt was so rightfully belonged to him.

All around him was the dense red mist. He wandered so deeply, that he couldn’t see the way back any longer. His fingers instantly itches for the hilt of his lightsaber, until he had seen a bright green orb catch his eye. Slowly he would stop in his tracks, as he eyed the glowing green ball of energy with curiosity. As if a child was drawn to a toy he approached it with caution.

“Come Jin Kyrel, do not be afraid Son of Dathomir.” Came the soft voice from the ball, the same angelic voice carried a boom, an echo of a larger voice that was as frightening as it was powerful. Jin would approach closer until he was so close, that the green ball would zoom past him going deep into the red mist. Jin was stunned for a moment, before as if instinctively or insanely that the young Kyrel would chase after the green ball with haste.

His breath quickened, and he would sprint faster after the ball, the ball was so close, and yet so far while the red mist would continue to surround him. The green ball would finally reach a stop at the sight of an ancient ruin, a temple of sorts. Jin stopped as he felt a chill hit his spine. There was an ominous feeling coming from the ruin, such a feeling screamed for every fiber of his being to run, yet the man didn’t run away. Slowly he would walk towards the ruin.

Jin would enter the ruin. The same cold that told him to run would persist. All around he could hear disembodied whispers that would make him shudder. Grasping his hilt he would ignite the red blade with a sharp hiss as he followed the green orb. The feeling of dread he couldn’t quite shake off in the slightest, still he would press on.

The red blade offered a crimson glow that illuminated his surroundings, he could see sacks from above, as well as stone tables, pottery, and slabs with writings he recognized, yet had long forgotten. His walk slowed, and the green orb was dimming minute by minute. Jin held his breath, for each exhale had brought a frosty breath that only seemed to echo his own dread.

He could finally see the green orb, but as it dimmed he saw an ignited set of torches. At the very end of the dimly lit torches was a face, horrifying and old but carried power, and fear unlike any other. Her skin was pale white, and she was covered head to toe in crimson robes. Jin would point his saber instinctively towards the figure, while the figure would only respond with that voice, the mix of an angel and a demon, that carried the dread that Jin felt in the form of a greeting.

“Welcome home, child of Dathomir.”

​

 

[Serrin]

it had been so many years. Serrin when she has left Dathomir turned her back on her coven in search of adventure. She had chosen exile and explored the galaxy, and was homesick.

Her custom Viper class fighter descended on the vermillion and white planet, her eyes beholding the great gnarled mountains that greeted her as a fond memory. She had retained that sweet innocence that The Night Mother had feared would lead her into peril. Still Serrin had changed, she had seen the worst of the vast galaxy, scum and villainy.

Only by leaving Dathomir was this Night Sister able to see the wisdom of their ways, a shelter from the storms of sinister forces. Why hadn’t the Reverend told her more about those disciples of the darkness in black mantels? Who pushed the bounds of the Dark Magick, and engulfed the stars in blood. She had been one’s captive, and her mind probbed, seeking the mysteries of the Ichor.

The Fighter touched down at landing pad outside the village, the spider like metal wings tilting the ship on an axis, and the hatch opening. Serrin stepped out in her coral red robes, already a Night Sister stood there to greet her.

“Sister.. you have come back to us.”

Serrin could not restrain herself.

“Navina.. I have missed you so much.”

Serrin placed her arms arouhd her Big Sister who normally reserved, leaned her head against hers.

“I have been so worried, I saw visions of you in distress.” Said Navina.

Serrin stepping back from embrace frowned.

“Where is the Reverend Mother? I must speak with her. They are coming..”

Navina knew at once who “They” were. Those who the stars shook for, and worlds were broken by.

“She is attending to another matter. I shall request an audience at once. Come, let’s get you resettled.”

Navin placed her arm around Serrin’s back, she could tell that the smile her Sister wore was not as it had been, it was a mask to bury great sorrow.

 

[Melinda Dealla]

"The night mother is requesting your assistance, Melinda," A voice said, causing Melinda to look up from the herbs she had been crushing. She was in the process of making a balm for one of her sister's wounds, who was lying on a bed beside her, groaning in pain.

"Are you sure? Lae'saj has been slashed at by a wild Nydak. Her cut could get infected," She replied, making her voice soft to try not to alarm her injured sister. "And that could lead to serious illness. Could anything possibly be more important?"

"Apparently so. But don't worry, I'll finish up here," her sister said, shrugging. "The night mother is busy entertaining a guest, but she wants you to prepare one of your truth potions. She said something about not fully trusting whoever it is."

"Oh...I see." Melinda stood up, brushing spare leaves and crushed roots off of her deep red robes. She grabbed her satchel, stuffed full of apothecary supplies, and began to make her way to the ruins of an ancient nightsister temple. She had thought that it was strange that after receiving a vision, the nightmother had retired there for the past three days. Evidently she was preparing for this visitor's arrival.

As she passed through the village, she paused to take in a starfighter which was landing there. A returning sister perhaps? But no one ever left this place of their own free will. Why would they? It is peaceful here. Perfect. Tranquil. Anyone who chose to leave was surely very strange.

Giving in to her curiosity, Melinda stayed put, watching the figure who emerged from the starfighter. She was greeted by Navin, a sister she had never really gotten the chance to talk to. The figure looked like a nightsister, but Melinda had certainly never met her before. So she attempted to awkwardly wave at the stranger. If she was dathomirian, and especially if she was a nightsister, it was only right that Melinda was friendly.

"Welcome back!" She called out, hoping the figure really would feel welcome. She knew how hard it could be to be separated from your home.

 

[Detritus Ren]

While Jin would stare down the Mother in front of him, he felt as if multiple eyes were on him. His eyes would frantically look around, all the while he would clutch the hilt of his red blade closely to himself. It had been many years since Jin was around the Nightsisters, and now it seemed that the young Kyrel, while as welcomed as he seemed to be by the ghostly face before him, he still felt as if he was out of place. His eyes would narrow against the visage of the Nightsister mother before him.

“Who are you?” He would ask as he kept his blade steady, and pointed at the Mother before him. All the while the same Mother didn’t even dare flinch, or even take much reaction to the blade of a crimson lightsaber pointed in her direction. Her face would remain stoic, yet she didn’t offer any defense or indicate herself as a threat. She would slowly approach Jin studying him more closely.

She spoke, her voice while soft and elegant, still carried a boom that would make Jin shudder. It was as if she spoke with the voices of the living, and the dead all into one. “I am Mother Zensa. You have been gone far too long, Jin Kyrel.” The way she had spoken his name had chilled the Force Wielder to the bone, and at the same time Jin could hear the voice of a Nightsister in a supposed greeting, while Jin had largely remained on his guard.

Mother Zensa as she introduced herself, would slowly start to pace around Jin as if trying to fully study him. “You left us once, with noble intentions, yet now you come back with a darkness all too familiar.” She would continue, while Jin raised a brow in annoyance. “What do you know of me?!?!” Jin would raise his voice slightly, before Mother Zensa would stand in front of him. “Only what you dare deny yourself, what you have run from out of fear of what lies beneath.” She would calmly say, before pressing her fingers against his forehead, and then uttering a single word. “Sleep.” In such a moment the Dathomiri-Human hybrid would feel his eyes grow heavy, and his fingers felt as if they couldn’t grasp the hilt of his saber any longer.

His eyes would shut, and his saber would extinguish as the hilt fell to the floor. Jin would drop to the ground, quickly brought under heel by the power of Mother Zensa. She would let her cold, and clawed fingers disappear in her red robes before looking back to the Nightsisters within the temple. “Sisters, help me tend to our guest?” She would ask calmly, while the demonic echo also insisted as if it were a command.

Tags: Serrin Melinda Dealla

 

[Serrin]

Serrin and Navina were leaving the landing plateform when a Nightsister approached, she had curly locks and her face was covered in glowing marks like the Ichor itself. Serrin smiked at this warm greeting, and waved back.

“Thank you..” said Serrin.

This welcome was more than she had dared hope for. Her being an exile she expected all manner of coldness. This Nightsister was different, she remindered her of herself before she left Dathomir.

Navina introduced them both,

“ Melinda Dealla this is my sister Serrin. She has been off world for years having adventures.”

Merrin nervously laughed.

She had indeed been on adventures, many of which were so dangerous that she dared not relatw them to any soul, particularly one that haunted her still.

“Adventures are overrated. It is nice to meet you Melinda.”

 

[Melinda Dealla]

"It's nice to meet you too," Melinda replied, somewhat taken aback to hear that Serrin had been off world volunterily. What little experience she had of the outside galaxy was tainted with trauma and pain. Melinda wondered whether anyone could actually find happiness there.

"I agree, adventure is overrated. I personally prefer comfort, and safety. That being said, I do believe that there may be an adventure in store for us here," she said, and gestured vaguely towards the ruins the night mother was in. "You are not the only person to visit us today. I heard that there is another, someone who the nightmother doesn't quite trust yet. Whoever they are, I believe the night mother regards them as very important."

She pauses, and considers her satchel full of ingredients for a truth potion. "And possibly dangerous, even."

 

[Detritus Ren]

The Sisters with whom Mother Zensa had gestured to carry the unconscious Jin Kyrel deep into the ruined temple. The sisters whispered among themselves, remarking how the man looked similar to them, and in other ways resembled closely to Human. One would cautiously grab the hilt of his lightsaber, as if keeping it away from any unwanted gestures should Jin wake up in an unruly manner. The sisters would slowly carry the man as Mother Zensa watched with an inquisitive gaze. She had seen many come and go to Dathomir, and even Zabraks but a hybrid that carried what is the “Force” has caught her interest. There has only been a few Dathomiri that could possess such power, but of course all of it would be told in due time.

Zensa turned to one of the sisters as Jin was carried off into the central chamber. “Where is Sister Melinda? She should be needed within the central sanctum.” Zensa spoke curious of where the sister had run off to, yet eager to see what secrets she could get out of the young Kyrel. The sister responded in kind to Zensa. “Probably off exploring, she tends to wander off during the most unexpected times.” Zensa would place her fingers to her chin, thinking pensively for a moment. “Have her brought towards the sanctum, she might be able to tend to our guest. Keep this in safe keeping.” She would say, as she had taken the hilt of Jin’s lightsaber, and carefully placed it into the grasp of the Nightsister.

The Nightsister would inspect the metal hilt, admiring the design as if taken an interest in the energy blade. She would stick it to her belt, before giving a respectful bow. “Yes, Mother Zensa as you wish.” She would say before she would head off to find her sister to inform her that she was required to help with the guest.

Jin was unconscious, unable to fully be aware of what was happening. The sisters that had carried him into the central sanctum of the temple, surrounded by green glowing pools of ichor, while they would gently set him down on a thick stone slab. Mother Zensa slowly approached with her hands hidden by the sleeves of her crimson robes. She would stand above the unconscious Kyrel, and would wait.

The Nightsister dispatched by Zensa would finally found Melinda and a sister she was accompanying with. The sister would speak urgently. “Melinda… Mother Zensa has urgently requested your assistance with our guest.” She would say as if skeptical of what the Mother had planned for the new arrival, but given how Melinda was known as a healer, and practitioner of medicine, then perhaps she would get the answers needed from the strange man that arrived to the temple.

Tags: Melinda Dealla Serrin

 

[Serrin]

Serrin thought about Melinda Dealla ’s words. She had taken for granted the shelter that was Dathomir. Her adventures had exposed her to perils this Nightsister could not fathom.

“Count yourself blessed Sister, to know such comfort. What liws off world is more woe than wonder.”

Serrin felt a tinge of melancholy, had she been like Melinda, content to enjoy her home world. How different might she be had she stayed?

The remark about a man waa curious.

“A man? Is it a Night Brother? Surly The Reverand Mother is not troubled by one of the male Dathomirians.”

It was then that another Sister approached, she bid Melinda go with her to Mother Zensa. Navina turned to Serrin, “come sis, lets have some Ichor Tea and talk.”

Serrin nodded and followed her Big Sister towards one of many gnarled huts. There they entered in. Navina conjured a green flame in the center pit and placed some hit water in a pot and sat it to boil.

“You seem distracted sis.” Said Navina.

Serrin nodded.

“My journey has been.. tiring.”

Navina took two cups of onyx color and placed them on the short table with the crimson cushion seats on the floor carpet.

“What I sense is beyond weariness Sister.”

Serrin sat cross legged on the red cushion.

“You always were perceptive sis. I admit my heart has been troubled.”

Navina poured the bow boiled water in cups and dashed some Ichor glowing leaves in them. The two sat and drank.

Serrin taking a sip said,

“I am not the same sis. When I left I felt giddy, full of life and that natural zest I had growing up.”

Navina sipped.

“What changed?”

Serrij spoke in a hushed tone,

“Sith.. I was captured by a Dark One who employed arts that fractured my mind.”

Navina leaned as she pit the cup on the tray sitting on the table.

Serrin continued,

“More than that, this Dark One drained my Ichor daily, and collected it. He seemed interested in our Magick, and was experimenting with it.”

Navina coughed.

“That is alarming. You need to tell Mother Zensa. Misuse of the Ichor is sacrilege. I worried that you being loose in the galaxy would expose our secrets. I should have stopped you when you left.”

Serrino nodded,,

“I wish you had. I fear he us coming Sister, coming to Dathomir.”

TAG: Detritus Ren

 

[Melinda Dealla]

Melinda listened intently to what Serrin had to say about the outside world, nodding along. This nightsister only confirmed what Melinda already knew to be true - only Dathomir was safe. As she opened her mouth to reply to Serrin's question about the other visitor, a different sister approached, telling her that the night mother was requesting her presence.

"Oh, of course! My apologies," she said guiltily, realising that her curiosity had led to her shirking her duties. "It was really nice to talk to you, Serrin. Perhaps we can talk again soon, after things return to normal."

With that, she quickly sped off to the temple. There she found Mother Zensa in the central chamber, standing over an unconscious man. Melinda attempted to get a better look, only for the night mother to block her view.

"Melinda," she said, her booming, multi-layered voice chilling Melinda down to the bone. Zensa was irritated, she could hear it in the combined tones of disappointment and anger in her voice. "Where have you been? Do you not believe that a personal request from me is important?"

"Of course I do! I-I'm sorry, Night Mother, I-"

Mother Zensa held up her hand. "I am not interested in excuses. I must speak to the spirits of our dead sisters now, and inform them of this man's arrival. I shall return when he wakes - I expect a completed truth potion by then."

"Yes, mother." Melinda ducked her head guiltily as the matriarch glided past her. However, now that she was gone, Melinda approached the man to get a better look. He was unusual, to say the least. It was rare enough to see men in the village, but even rarer to see ones who appeared to have human ancestry as well as dathomirian. He had some nasty scars, but Melinda, despite her extensive medical knowledge, could not understand what had caused them. "How strange..."

Moving from his bedside, Melinda glanced around the room to see a cauldron over a green fire. Grinning, she quickly fell into a rhythm of creating the potion, enjoying the process of apothecary. She always had, it was incredible how the ingredients all came together - a touch of mushling powder, the ground up twigs of the grave thorn tree and the leaves of the brula fruit simmered in the pot, working together to create the potion. Finally, the last, and most important ingredient - rancor blood. Carefully, Melinda took out a vial of it and dripped a tiny amount into the mixture, turning it green. Perfect. Grabbing a clay cup, she scooped up a portion of the potion into it.

And not a moment too soon. Turning to the man, Melinda could see his eyes were beginning to flutter open. As he awoke, Melinda smiled and offered him the potion. "Greetings, nightbrother. Please accept this tea I have made you. It will give you strength."

(Tags: Detritus Ren Serrin)

 

[Serrin]

Serrin and Navina sat in silence for a while. The Nightsister felt her mind drift towards worry, this Demon was coming to Dathomir. She knew it was a matter of time, that her sisters were not safe.

As she rose up to her feet Navina sipped some more Ichor Brew.

“What did you see on your adventures? Did you make friends?”

Serrin turned, and sighed. Her mind drifted to Laphisto and others who she spent so much time with.

“I did, more than friends. A new tribe even, The Lilaste Order.”

Navina sipped a little more.

“Is it your intent to go back?”

Serrin nodded.

“Yes. I came to say goodbye.”

Navina smirked.

“So you intend to make your exile permanent?”

Serrin shook her head.

“I have been too long from Dathomir, and now what haunts me follows me as serpent among the stars. I came to warn The Great Mother and see you one last time.”

There was a tinge of pain in her words. Serrin loved her sisters and she loved Dathomir, and the prospect of never seeing either again was a pain she could not bear. And yet to save them from the calamity, the One who hunted her, was worth her complete excommunication.

“The needs of many Nightsisters outweighed the few.” This was lesson The Reverend Mother she knew as a child drilled into her.

Navina rose up and offered her scarlet robes shoulder.

“You are a good girl Serrin, you always have been. You are wiser to the wider galaxy, and yet still the fact you are here, trying to help, proves you are the same person.”

Navina always knew what to say. She was a true Big Sister. Serrin would miss her most of all when she left for good this time. It would be unbearable at first, as it had been before, only this time the knowledge that Serrin would never return to Dathomir would make it more poignant and painful.

 

[Detritus Ren]

Jin would fall into a deep sleep, and in the process of such a deep slumber he was immediately plagued by a fractured mind. Memories of a lifetime that had simply been so scattered that one couldn't help but toss and turn in his own sleep. Jin had suffered much in the pursuit of good for his homeworld, and now for some strange reason, he was drawn back here. He was rested on the stone table, and started to drift into a cold sweat. Muttering words from the result of such intensive memories that had come to him. "N-No.... Mother! Father!! Sith coming.... N-No... Weakness.... Strength.... Destruction..." The muttering started to grow louder as he tossed and turned back and forth upon the slab, stones would slowly levitate while Jin would struggle with what his mind possessed.

The Force swirled around the man, and wondered why he was tortured both awake, and asleep. Memories mixed with horrid nightmares were almost too painful to bear, and that pain was manifesting quickly. "Hans!!" He cried out a name that had been long since dead, but still clear ever in his mind. Jin seemed stunned if only briefly, as he looked around. His hand would instinctively tried to reach for his lightsaber, yet he couldn't find it. His yellow eyes looked all around him. The first thing that he had noticed was the sight of a Nightsister before him, how he hadn't encountered a Nightsister in many years, and was slightly taken back when she had referred to him as a Nightbrother. Did that still apply to him? Part of him would have liked to strike her down, and then the other part restrained the murderous urge. Such was a life spent at war from the moment he was born into this galaxy, with a dark shadow ever looming over his head.

He looked to the sister skeptically as she offered a drink to him. He didn't trust her exactly, but he had weakly reached for the drink she had in hand. "Thank you, sister." He said as he took the cup, and as if his mouth was a desert needing to be quenched he would drink it all down in a single gulp. When he was finished he had dropped the cup to the floor, unbeknown to him of the true purpose the sister had in offering him the tea.

Melinda Dealla Serrin

 

[Melinda Dealla]

"You're welcome," Melinda replied, smiling. "You must have been thirsty."

The nightsister felt as if she was dying from curiosity, but the problem was, the Nightmother would most likely interrogate this man on her own, and all of Melinda's burning questions wouldn't be answered. So she quickly glanced over at the door to see if the Nightmother was coming. She wasn't. Perfect! This meant that she could ask man before her some questions herself. But she was going to have to be careful, he was still a guest and she didn't want him to feel like she was interrogating him. Although, to be fair, the Nightmother would most likely do exactly that soon enough.

"May I ask what your name is, nightbrother? I will tell you mine," Melinda began, deciding it best to ask a relatively simple question first. "I'm Melinda Dealla. It's nice to meet you."

"We really don't get many men around here, for, um, obvious reasons," She continued. "And we definitely don't ever see people with shared racial heritage like yourself visiting. Is there a particular reason you're here? Someone you wish to visit? And, um..."

Melinda paused, wondering if this question was too intrusive. It most likely was, but as a doctor, she couldn't help herself. Pointing to Detritus Ren 's marks on his face, she asked: "And how did you get those scars?"

(Serrin)

 

[Serrin]

Serrin stood up and looked out the window at world she woukd leave behind. Her eyes began to water. She turned to Navina,

“I am going to go walk one last time. When The Great Mother returns, you may brief her on all I have said.”

Navina rose rather alarmed, she could see the pain etched on her Sister’s face, but said nothing.

Serrin left the hut, and headed into a grove of gnarled trees. The air thick with that vermillion red vapor. She walked touching the bulbs that hung like dates from the ends of the dead wood. The Nightsister fell on her knees in a open plain, there she looked to great rock mountains, tears rolling down her cheeks as she sobbed over the loss of her world.

It was then she heard a rustle in the brush and wiling her cheeks she saw figure of her greatest fear.

“Charming planet.. so much ichor.. I can drink it to the dregs..”

Serrin made fists that glowed with green fire.

“Such spirit.. a shame that in world to come there will be no place for it.”

Serrin caste several balls of peridot flame at the figure which disappeared.

“Keep that fire my dear, I am coming..”

Serrin fell on her knees in defeat. He was going to devour Dathomir, and it was all her fault. She should have stayed away, and led him far away…

 

[Melinda Dealla]

As the man before her opened his mouth to reply, Mother Zensa returned to the room. "Leave us." she commanded, and Melinda hastily obeyed, grabbing her bag and leaving.

Bitter disappointment filled her entire being as she walked outside, lamenting her inability to get the answers she sought. In order to cheer herself up, she decided to take a detour through her favourite grove of gnarled trees, picking off the bulbs for use in potions. As she did, she smelt magical fire coming from a plain nearby. She quickly rushed over there, using her own magic to dispel the flickering green flames licking at the bushes. Turning, she saw the source of the fire - Serrin, the same nightsister she had met earlier, with tears on her cheeks.

"Sister, what's wrong?" Melinda asked, rushing to Serrin's side. "What happened? Are you hurt?"

 

[Serrin]

Serrin stood there as the bushes were doused by Melinda Dealla , she was in a daze from the Visitation. Her eyes burning peridot green, she turned to her Nightsister.

“He is coming.. the One who will devour our world!”

The flame in her eyes then dissipated and she panted. Her grey eyes fixed on The Healer, she was now cold. Shivering despite the fire.

“Where am I?”

Serrin felt light headed. She nearly collapsed, her nerves giving way as she fell toward Melinda.

“I feel.. unwell.”

Serrin had come back go warn her Sisters, and now she feared she had left an Ichor trail for Him to follow. Dathomir had been purged before by General Grievous, now she feared a Second Purge was coming thanks to her. Serrin felt such guilt. Had she never left, none of this would ever have happened.

 

[Melinda Dealla]

"Wh-what?" Melinda gasped, confused and panicked to hear Serrin's words of a world devourer. "No, no, that can't be. We're safe here."

Melinda then noticed that the woman before her had begun to shiver. She seemed confused, and Melinda's panic dissipated. Of course, Melinda thought, There is no world devourer. There's a medical explanation for this. Melinda grabbed Serrin as she fell, and wrapped her sister's arm around her shoulder, giving her a reassuring smile.

"It's ok, Serrin. You must be suffering from dehydration, or vertigo as a result of travelling," she said, leading the nightsister back towards the village. "I can make you a remedy for that once we get home. For now, focus on taking deep breaths. Put your weight on me, and move one step at a time. I'm right here beside you if you falter."

 

[Serrin]

Serrin felt feverish, the effects of this enemy that reached from the void. She leaned on Melinda Dealla who seemed determined to believe that this Devourer, an apt name, was coming. So the Nightsister decided not to disturb her sense of equilibrium.

She wished it was so simple as vertigo or deheydration, a vision brought on by deficiencies rather than the dreaded truth of what she had seen. Serrin used her Sister to help her walk, she felt so dizzy,

“Thank you Melinda.. I feel so.. drained.”

She clung to Melinda’s shoulder as a walking staff trying to steady her balance. Her head pounded with a terrible ache, and she coughed up some black fluid. Her eyes which were normally white with gray pupils, the whited had reddish pink gnarled veins, like roots of flame.

 

[Melinda Dealla]

Melinda gave Serrin a concerned look as she watched her cough up black liquid. That certainly wasn't caused by dehydration or vertigo. An infection, maybe? Melinda couldn't bring herself to contemplate the idea that Serrin's condition was brought about by an approaching danger, an individual planning to harm Dathomir. It would destroy her peaceful life here, and was it too much to ask that after what she went through as a child, she would be able to lead a normal life?

"You're welcome, sister," she replied, brushing away her dark thoughts and instead choosing to focus on Serrin. "You'll soon feel better."

Keeping a slow and steady pace, the duo reached the outskirts of the Nightsister village. Fortunately, Melinda's hut was just on the edge of the village, so as to be closer to nature. Melinda led Serrin inside, placing her down on the edge of her bed. The room they were in was somewhat cluttered, with shelves filled with apothecury supplies and old books and scrolls lining the walls. Near her bed there was a table, covered with an assortment of strange ingredients. On the far side of the room there was a fireplace, which Melinda moved over to, lighting it with green flame.

"I'm going to get you some water," she said, popping into an adjoining room. Returning, she handed a clay cup of water to Serrin. "This should help, or at least, I hope it will."

 

[Serrin]

Serrin let Melinda lead her, she felt exhuasted and so nauseous. They came to Melind’s hut, inside was all manner of herbs which gave off pleasant aromas, and vials & glasses full of ingredients that only a true apothecary would know how to mix and use. Serrin found herself fortunate that she was in the hands of a Healer as she fell ill. Her concern is that this infirmity may not mend with spells, herbs, and medicines, for the shadow of thought still haunted her.

“Cough.. I remember this place when I was little. At the tome there was great healer Sister named Morgana. She was old and wise.. cough. I see you have made it your own.”

She forced a smile despite her condition. She really was happy someone had chosen to take of the mantel of Night Healer. Had she stayed on Dathomir, perhaps it was a path she would have taken. For she had not been a soul that delighted in harming, rather helping and what better way to help others than to heal?

TAG: Melinda Dealla

 

[Melinda Dealla]

"Morgana...I'm afraid I never met her," Melinda replied, sitting down next to Serrin and checking her temperature. "When I began to show interest in healing, I was directed to choose to live either here or in a room connected to the infirmiry. I chose to live here because it was closer to nature. But yes, you're right, I certainly have made it my own. Sorry about the mess."

Drawing back her hand, Melinda was confused to see that Serrin was not feverish, something she would expect from the sufferer of an infection. This left the woman's condition in shrouded in mystery. There were signs that it was some kind of post traumatic stress disorder, but that would hardly explain the black liquid she had coughed up. Was she poisoned, perhaps? It wouldn't be unheard of, many of her sisters had accidentally chosen the wrong animal or plant and wound up sick in bed for days. Yes, that was probably it.

"Have you eaten anything recently, Serrin?" she asked, walking over to her table and chopping up stick of what looked to be some kind of spice. "Or drunken something? I'm worried you may have ingested something toxic after you came here. Do you have any idea what it might have been?"

Serrin