Beyond The Veil

[Eisa Swan]

Several weeks had since passed since the incident with the mandalorians theft of the Alliance's frigate had drew to its conclusion, the various observation stations of the Rebellion's intelligence network were still trying to triangulate where the frigate had disappeared to, all that could be determined so far was that it had made the jump to hyperspace but did not drop out at one of the vast network of beacons points, giving the suspicion that either the Jump had been hastily rushed or the measures to immobilise the frigate had caused further issues to the systems at large - finding the frigate without a clear drop out point would be like searching for a needle in a pile of haystacks laid out along a continuous line.

The Ashen haired Jedi had since parted ways with Arda and the rest of the Alliance fleet for the time being to make the travel out to the hidden temple on Ellora, something in the Force was beckoning for her to return to hidden sanctuary. For want of a better term, a disturbance in the Force, which for the planet in question wasn't too surprising as every time she had ventured to the accursed world, it would be constantly ravaged by Force storms or wild life determined to eat the Jedi who would venture to the planet.

Walking along the windswept mountain path, The lone Jedi dressed in a dark hooded cloak slowly approached the stone doors. The figure's face obscured by the bow of the hood, in addition to a scarf covering the features of the figure's face from the nose down. Only a pair of vibrant emerald irises could be visibly seen from under the shadow of the hood, slowly a gloved hand crept out from within the folds of the dark cloak and reached out towards the large stone barrier. Her hand softly pressing against the natural barrier for a brief moment, before hidden channels carved into the stone started to emanate with a light peridot hued light. The figure channelling the Force, and with a practised series of subtle manipulations, the various binds and barriers erected through the Force to seal the hidden temple shut was gradually released, before the large stone door parted slightly, granting the figure access into the temple.

As soon as the enough of a clearance had been opened, the ashen haired Jedi Master stepped into the entrance hall of the Deep stone Crypt, and moved deeper into the Ancient Jedi sanctuary, Eisa's arm wrapping her cloak tighter around her body. Although she was still shivering from the winter storms of that weathered the mountain range, and out of the icy wind that seemed to cut directly through her clothing right down to her the marrow of her bones. Little could be said for the warmth that was held within the interior of the Ancient Saber forge, which did make the Jedi master wander just what the protocol droid had been up to, or whether 10-NT was still within the confines of the temple carved into the depths of the mountain. As the Jedi moved deeper into the sanctuary and over into the archives, the sounds of her foot steps echoing throughout the empty cavernous halls. It seemed that since her last visit to the sanctuary the place seemed to have gone untouched.

A thoughtful expression crossed the ashen haired Jedi's features, as she pulled back the hood from over her head and allowing the folds of the fabric hang back around her neck. Her gaze falling upon the statue of the two ancient Jedi Masters Austin Wolfe and Galahad VultAs, her mind thinking back to how the information of the Crypt had managed to transcend five centuries for one of the Ancient master's descendants to acquire, ultimately setting into motion the chain of events that resulted in Master Leah Reach to take her then fledgling initiates to Ellora, into the depths of these very halls in the search of ancient Jedi knowledge and the parts needed to form their lightsabers. A light sigh escaped the Masters lips as her hands subconsciously moved to her sides, fingers touching upon the worn and weathered hilts of her lightsabers. Never would the then teen have even imagined when she was selecting the components for her lightsabers from the ancient caches, that her path as a Jedi would have taken the course that it had over the decade since.

The thoughtful expression over her features softened as Eisa stepped away from the statues of the ancient Jedi masters, before stepping along along the various shelves. Her emerald hued gaze scouring over the books and tomes that rested undisturbed for years, searching out for a particular tome she had spied during her first visit to the sanctuary. At the time, like so much of the Force she knew very little what it was that she was reading - though now she was in the process of fashioning a Holocron, the tome and its contents would be much clearer in nature, well at least that was the hope.

As she regarded the various works that marked the spines of the books, the ashen haired master's attention was soon pulled away from array of books and over towards the outer edges of the archive, the sight of a strange figure or object in her periphery had caught her attention. Slowly and cautiously, Eisa walked over to see for herself what she had or hadn't seen. Her eyes narrowed as she scanned her surroundings, yet what ever it was that she thought was there was nowhere to be seen. Taking a slow breath, Eisa drew upon the Force, reaching out through her minds eye to get a sense of clarity on whether she was alone or not - uncertain whether Horus would have arrived ahead of her or not

 

[Horus Tempest]

Ellora. It was a location he’d scarce visited, only on his path to find out more about his ancestors and his race’s past as both enemies and allies to the Jedi Order. Horus, however, was not having the fondest time getting where he needed to go. The storms that raged about the planet had made it difficult enough to manage landing the Winter’s Crest - and beyond that, something he hadn’t anticipated. The bloody wildlife. Last time he’d taken a very short detour here, it hadn’t been nearly so hectic not stressful. To make matters worse, the strange sensation that had led him there seemed to emanate not from the planet, but from the Temple itself. He could feel it even now, as his legs briskly carried him towards the southern entrance to the crypt. He’d taken the long way around, landing the Crest in a clearing and cutting his way through whatever wanted to keep him occupied. His amber blade was still lit and dancing orange hues of licking flames around him.

The Jedi Knight was clad in his usual Jedi Robes, though he had taken to wearing several layers of the traditional white-grey cloth, with a black wool mantle and cloak covering his facial features. The planet wasn’t necessarily cold by normal being’s standard, but a Vahla was used to warmth. Besides, the cloth made relatively decent armor in exchange for his usual trooper equipment - allowing him to avoid at least a lethal scratch. Something he began to take into consideration as an unseemly roar echoed from behind him. He was at the entrance of the Crypt, all the Vahla would have to do was walk down and enter. Wouldn’t even need to concern himself with whatever that was, right? Horus sighed deeply, turning around to watch the saurian creature charge into him headlong, only for the Jedi to spin on his heels and extend his hand, launching the creature back into the wilds. When it decided to charge again, Horus had little choice but to impale it through the chest, watching as it fell. Shaking his head, he began the trek within. From the faint lack of footsteps, he could tell that Eisa was likely not yet inside.

The Vahla paused. His finger went to deactivate his lightsaber, with momentary concern staying his hand. Something didn’t feel right. It was as though a strange tension had built in the air. Considering what Eisa was going to do - store information using a complex meditation right underneath a maelstrom of energy - it wasn’t all that surprising. The concerning part was the simple fact that this was hardly caused by himself, and the ashen haired lass was yet to begin. He knew her, he had felt her presence many times and knew much of its finer subtleties… which made this revelation all the more interesting. However, it could simply be the raging storm above, as both he and Eisa knew the storm could have strange effects on Force Users who weren’t used to its imposing presence. Nodding to himself, content in that answer, he deactivated the blade and stepped out from the corridor and into yet another. It didn’t take long, maybe five minutes or less, until he began to hear the familiar clapping of footsteps walking, and he began to follow. Dropping his hood and cloak, Horus greeted Eisa from behind. Instead of waiting in the sanctum for the girl he’d decided to double back around, make sure nothing was out of place. He found nothing of concern. As he greeted her, his hand gently motioned towards the collective statues of the Jedi Masters.

“Eisa. Hey. Sorry, I was just going through the place. It’s been a while. That and the Crypt has become oddly… ominous. With exception to our handsome guests over there.”

 

[Eisa Swan]

Turning round to face the voice emanating from behind her, the ashen haired Master's features scrunched into a contemplative expression. Reflecting on the aired concern that the Crypt had became more ominous than usual, her bright emerald eyes following Horus' gaze over towards the statues of the Ancient Jedi masters briefly before returning her attention back to the Jedi Knight. "I suspect it might be a sign of the times Horus" Eisa spoke out with a sigh, before pursing her lips for a brief moment. Ellora she had found was such a tumulus world right from the first moment she had entered its orbit and taken her first shaken and dazed steps in the wake of the ship crashing whilst she was being trained in the ways of the Jedi. "I'm likely to be proven wrong, but the Force storms above us seem always seem to reflect the wider Galaxy" she added as she stepped closer to the taller male, pulling back the folds of her cloak so that the woolen canvas hung at her sides rather than over her torso. "When Master Reach brought us here, the storms were impassable costing us our ship to a crash landing, back when the Sith had two empires fighting for dominance. The times I've been here since, when the light was starting to bring hope back the storms had lessened" she continued as she closed the distance, before coming to a stop beside the Jedi Knight.

"Now, it seems that with the will of the Darkside being made manifest through the Mandalors vendetta against all force users. The storms have picked up once again" she added, her tone much more sombre than her usual cheerful demeanour. Her attention pulling off to the side as she caught sight of a few holocron vessels sitting on the archive shelving that surrounded the two Jedi, reaching a hand out towards the holocrons, Eisa summoned one of the colourless devices to her waiting open palm. "It's kinda poetic in a weird way" the ashen haired Jedi resumed, her gaze raising up to meet Horus' "Whilst clarity in the state of the Force may sometimes be elusive to sense and feel, sometimes all we really need to do is open our eyes and observe how the world around us is reacting" she added with a slight sigh, knowing that despite their connection to the Force and having the ability to read its currents, it was often the most primitive of creatures that seemed to have the greater awareness, like a flock of birds taking flight long before signs of danger would present itself.

Her mind soon drifted back to the task at hand, and away from the thought of how perhaps being as conscious of the Force as the Jedi were, the blinder they became to the simpler eccentricities of how the Force manifests and presents itself to others. Her attention lingering over the disused Holocron, slim alabaster fingers running along the outer vertices of the ornate device. The golden metal frame was cold to the touch, it felt exactly as its contents was, empty - for the time being at least, provided all went well then there would soon be a vessel that contained the shared knowledge and reflections of the Jedi Master.

There was a hesitance towards what she was soon to do, not from the awareness of the complexities of the task. But from what she would impart to those who would one day later call upon her stored knowledge, teachings that would somewhat go against the grain of the basic fundaments of the Jedi Code. As much as she hoped that the Jedi to come would see a brighter future, there was the understanding that as Arda had said, this hasnt been the First war the Jedi had fought in, nor was it ever likely to be their last. A small comfort in the fact that perhaps her own experiences. May help prevent a future Jedi from loosing themselves through the inner turmoil that fighting and killing in the front lines of a battlefield would bring.

Looking up from the lifeless holocron, Eisa looked towards Horus, the sombre expression softening a little as a light smile curled at the edge of her lips. "I suppose its almost time to get this underway, hopefully this will all be in vain and what I'm about to commit to this holocron would not be needed in generation's to come"

 

[Horus Tempest]

“Perhaps it is so.”

Horus inhaled deeply, and looked upwards, as though to see the storm. He did not use his eyes, however, but his mind’s eye, and felt every magnetic change of current or drop and increase of pressure. It was here, a calm, in the eye of the storm, that he was most at peace. His last name had not been a mere moniker - he was a Tempest, of stormy roots, and places like this felt akin to a strange and long forgotten home. Now that he had the chance to take in the enormity of the location and the feeling of its local, including the deadly wildlife, Horus could not deny that this would perhaps have been a place akin to Vahla. His eyes followed Eisa as she approached, and at the mention of Master Reach, memories returned to him. He remembered working with Master Luy, and Master Reach. How she’d been the one to test his resolve as he battled his own darkness, unwilling to let it consume him. How she’d been corrupted and possessed by a Dark- Sider of strange power that has ultimately been bested by a team including himself. Whatever had happened to Master Reach? Leah had not been seen in some time, and Horus could not feel her presence anymore… as it was for Master Luy. The realization gave him pause, and he visibly lost composure. He’d always had a deep and resounding respect and love for the ancient Feeorin. Horus hoped his senses where incorrect.

“You’re right about the Mandalorians having become the newest of our foes. Though I doubt they know or would bother trying to understand what holds them in sway. The Darkness. As for Master Reach… I simply wish she was here to see us now. I believe…she and Luy both… would be proud.”

The sentiment caused him to wonder, but it left a pit deep in his stomach that he had to momentarily discard and ignore. He watched as Eisa summoned a holocron to her, and was immediately reminded of the task at hand, happy to be distracted. Eisa’s musings followed, and although Horus listened and nodded gently, he would not immediately reply. Instead, he stroked his beard for a moment, thinking of all he had studied the Force and its state. The Jedi Master was correct, and only when in moments of not looking, could you come to see and appreciate the Force in all things in the universe. It was a constant presence, and even those unable to feel it could easily notice it through the power of keen observation. The Jedi, especially like Eisa and Horus, where even more so connected to the power of the Force. If any could find the irony in its workings, it would be the newest breed of Jedi. The Vahla calmly walked up and joined the smaller lass, observing the holocron as she did. It seemed strange to think that Eisa Swan - the hyperactive girl he’d known from forever ago - would be leaving behind a legacy of knowledge for future generations. She had the knowledge to spare, especially having been a Master for the extent so far, and essentially being a member of the council as well. He considered it a small blessing that he’d been chosen to ensure everything went smoothly. It was not a happy coincidence, he assumed, but he was nonetheless pleased.

“It’s best to leave future generations prepared. But yes. Let’s hope we’re all just overreacting a little bit and everything is okay.”