Mended

[Marina Giulestei]

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Even with the loss on Tython behind her, the Warmaster's attack on her mind still held great sway. Removed from the place where it happened dulled it slightly, let her put up what defences she could muster. But it was exhausting her, killing her to keep it going. The focus required, at all hours, to prevent the taint from digging its way in further, to save herself becoming the mess she had been on Tython again was immense. And it was taking its toll.

She'd been keeping herself sustained, but only just, on the trip to Brighthome, forcing her ship to travel as fast as it could to her only hope of saving herself. And that was Councillor Guleya.

From all she understood of the Master, he was a great healer, and as the Caretaker of First Knowledge he knew ills and effects far beyond the norm that it seemed she was now suffering from.

Dashing through the halls then on her desperate mission to find him, she could only hope what she had heard was true.


@Zigara

 

[Bruce Guleya]

Ever since arriving on Brighthome, Bruce had mostly kept himself to his assigned quarters. There was peace there, a feeling of sanctuary the times he remained within these 4 walls. Bruce had been meditating, trying to sort through an expansive knowledge he had reviewed and categorized; but he also needed the time to process all that had happened, the Force was in a great pain as it cried out looking for salvation, an effort to heal and resolve, but that resolve had been shaken and the Force had no allies any more. At least that's how it echoed around him.

With the meditation and the concentration, he had mostly shut and tuned the world out, but that concentration would be shaken the moment a voice filled his quarters. Bruce opened his eyes and acknowledge the transmission; there was a specific Jedi Knight who had returned from Tython who was acting frantic, exhausted, desperate. She was looking for the Caretaker and the Temple Guards confirmed there was a slight poison of the Dark Side within her - no that she was a Dark Sider but rather a poisoned from it. Bruce suspected he knew that cause of this desperation, she may have fallen victim to an attack. There would be two outcomes if he followed through - he reviews, cures, or helps get a hold on the attack... or she would succumb and Bruce would have to do the unthinkable and end it; but he wouldn't allow that to happen.

"Guards, collect her. Escort her to a private meditation chamber - I will meet her there and tend to her. She will be fine, but keep an eye on her for her safety; watch over her." The Caretaker issued the command and The Temple guards would quickly intercept the Knight and redirect her. They wouldn't be rough or harsh, but they'd ensure her safety until they could take her to one of the smaller chambers.

Bruce suspected this would require some quiet and he'd be happy to provide it. The Guards would notify the Caretaker of which room they had taken her and he would make haste. While he made his way there they would certainly watch over her.

@Nightfall096

 

[Marina Giulestei]

As the temple guards collected her she felt a shiver run down her spine, the hair on her arms stand on end. She was not well, and the presence of other wielders of the light was clearly causing a response in her, in the poison inside. She had to fight to keep it down, like the sensation of keeping down a sickness, of holding back tears. She had to be strong, for just a little while longer, to keep the thing at bay, keep her firmly within the light even as the galaxy turned to darkness in her vision.

Seated in the mediation chamber, she found it hard to sit still, her body shivering, urging to let out whatever it was that had found its way into her mind and body. It took her all she could to hold herself where she was, in the silence in the mediation chamber. The quiet did her good, for now there was only her and the thing in her mind, she could focus more clearly on it, on keeping it back. It was for that same reason she'd managed to survive the trip from Tython to Brighthome, feeding herself with the force and focusing in the silence. But the fear and trepidation that filled Brighthome had pulled her from it when she landed. The last bastion of the Jedi for now, of course in such a time emotions, even for the Jedi, would spill over.

And as the door slid open to reveal the Councillor, to stumble out the few words she could,

"Master Guleya, what, what is happening to me?"

A plea, pure and simple.

@Zigara

 

[Bruce Guleya]

Once confirmed of the location, the Jedi Councillor rushed to the room. Unfortunately, Bruce did have his lightsaber clipped to his waist - but it was a final resort, a conclusion he had no intention of arrive at. He approached the door and two Temple Guards remained outside the room, nodding at the newly arrived Jedi. The request from the Councillor was simple - remain on standby until he dismissed them. They needed to be left alone in order for the Force to work it's way.

The door slid open and Bruce walked into the room, the hiss of the door as it closed up behind him. He looked at the Jedi Knight before him, a girl - though being able to rest, still afraid, still agitated. The Caretaker maintained his signature calm demeanor and silent mind, stilled heart. The Councillor was ever in control of his being. "There there, young knight." Bruce could feel the whispered of dread as they filled the silent currents of the Force, they were muddled but they were there. Just a whisper or two, Bruce was not unfamiliar with this at all. But even in this adversity, he spoke calmly.

"Something happened," It didn't need to be stated - it was obvious. "Tell me, quickly what had happened before our meeting. A quick excerpt, I cannot proceed until I know." Bruce sat across from Marina now, he gazed deeply into her eyes, reaching out with the Force and peering into her being - her mind, her heart, he was trying to pinpoint the exact damage that had been inflicted.

@Nightfall096

 

[Marina Giulestei]

“The Sith, the Warmaster” the title lingered still in her mind, a ferocious creature of the dark side, more powerful than she could have expected,

“I tried to face him, I and another knight. But... he could control the force to a degree I did not expect. With his hand, a gauntlet, he tore into my mind and I saw... things. The Order aflame as the galaxy fell to darkness. I know, I know that I need to fight such things, that the light can overcome them but... but the fear, it’s not me, it’s not my own” she stuttered our, forcing the explanation from her mouth as those very actions occurred to her now,

“It’s taking me over, Master Guleya” Bruce was a quick study, and would see her shake, the determination and focus in her that kept the corruption at bay for now. The images in her mind, they warped the world in ways she didn’t expect, brought ideas to mind she never would have had. Possibilities for the future she’d been determined to fight against,

“And now still it draws my mind to places. The war, the rebellion, my master, his death, my death, the death of the Jedi... I pray the dark side lies now like I have known it to do” she looked up to the councillor. While her body was hardened, holding out, in her eyes Bruce would see the fear. The fear of losing herself. The real fear, the one that was her own.

@Zigara

 

[Bruce Guleya]

Bruce watched as the Jedi Knight quickly explained the situation to him - the frantic speech and the deep feelings of fear as the bounds of reality had pushed harder and harder to be forgotten and a new reality to take over. This was the work of Dark Side, obviously and the pure assault on the poor girl's mind was common to be seen. Bruce had seen it more than once, had experienced it for a brief moment when he worked to liberate Tython from the enemy. This was not at all a unique circumstance, he was amazed she had survived the days journey to get the Brighthome, but now they needed to make haste. He didn't need anymore details, that's all he needed - a simple and brief synopsis. First things first, "Knight, what is your name?" She would respond of course, a step one of the process was know who you were dealing with.

"Okay Marina, we're going to address this. But what is going to happen is going to be a little frightful and I will need your utmost trust in order to tend to this; for it is not too late." Bruce began to explain what would happen, "We will meditate, I will need you to work with me and I am here with you during this process. I will warn you, you will feel a paralysis for I will need to induce such a tactic in order to mend the damage. My first request is trust, my second is for you to close your eyes and join me - with your eyes closed DO NOT open them not for anything or anyone? Do you understand young lady? Keep. Them. Shut. You will know when to open them, it will not be a command from me or anyone else but you will know when, understood?" He was right down to business now - Swift and decisive action.

Once Marina understood what the Councillor was asking, Bruce when they guide her through a meditation, instructing her and helping her step by step, she would have to strip away the world and everything in it. Isolate herself, but allow the Councillor in. It would be just to two of them during this process. The bardottan would join her throughout and he'd watch her fade; through the Force and through her being, all the Bardottan needed was the earliest signs of the Knight falling into the meditation and the trance with it, as soon as he had that sign he'd wrap her in the Force and bring her into stasis; he would need her body to shut down so to speak, to hinder and inhibit the hold the Sith had placed on her mind.

And from that stasis, the true work would begin.

@Nightfall096

 

[Marina Giulestei]

Her breathing steadied ever so slowly as the councillor spoke to her. His words calming, commanding. Somehow, she felt, he would hold to his promise. If such a saga had proved anything to her, it was that she could rely on her fellow Jedi, and for that she was grateful, more than they could know,

“Marina Giulestei” she would reply quickly, ready to follow whatever came next. Knowing that doing so was her only hope.

Closing her eyes shut she held them tight, tighter than she ever had before, and slowed her breathing as much as she could as she tried to enter into the meditative state required, forcing the voices to subside for a moment as she breathed as normal,

“You have my trust, and my thanks no matter what” Marina offered Bruce, she was ready to begin.

As the grip wrapped round her, her mind raced, her breathing hoping suddenly, so close a reminder to the grip of the warmaster was a powerful feeling, flashing thoughts and feelings she had to fight to keep down and clear her mind of. Though she felt Master Guleya through it all, her beacon in the shadow in her image of thought. The thing to guide her home.

It was enough. Or so she hoped.

For now though her mind seemed on pause, time and the world of appearances falling away. Soon, soon it would just be them. That way she would know herself again, alone with only the other, the guide. Ready to work. She wanted to say she was ready, but she knew, Bruce would already know.


@Zigara

 

[Bruce Guleya]

And so she had steadied herself in preparation for the intense treatment. Removing a taint of the Dark Side was no easy task nor was it a gentle task - meaning the healer would have to expend appropriate energies. When the stasis took old and her body shut down allowing just the mind to function, Bruce could begin the work. As he had requested, she would need to keep her eyes closed tight given that it could potentially bring out hallucinations of great terror; there was no telling what would happen next.

As Marina gave herself over to Bruce, Bruce had been channeling the energies of the Force within him and engulfing the room they were in. He felt himself slipping into his own form of meditation, but given his experience it didn't take his attention away too much. He could feel the cries of agony and the pain as he gently skirted Marina's consciousness and joined her in the waves of the Force. This would be a certain requirement of the Master as he felt the Knight's presence in the Force. "I am here. Can you feel it?" The Councillor's disembodied voice asked the patient, in these early stages the only thing she would be able to view is darkness - just as you were to close your eyes. "Things will become clear as we advance. I am a guide, a beacon, trust in me, trust in the Force. Fear nothing for you shall be protected. There is no emotion. Marina. Bruce. Remember the names, for we know not what waits for you. There is no ignorance. I will guide you, I will protect you, and I will be watching over you. There is no passion. Feel the calm, feel the light. There is no chaos. You are in command, you have the control."

When they were both feeling the flows comfortably, Bruce only needed to do one thing - he reached out his hand and gently ran his thumb along her forehead as he spoke the final line, "There is no death." The moment his thumb came into contact with her head, a warmth and peace could be felt within, a flare of brightness before being confronted with horrors brought on by the Dark Attack on her mind before her arrival. The key to this whole process, and the safety what the fact that she, Marina, would not have to expend much energy to walk this journey with him and fight off the poison in her mind. The Caretaker had lent his energy and control to her as she faced off; he had imposed a healing trance to blanket the Knight known as Marina.

This state of trance would be how she could purge her mind, but unfortunately it was a tricky thing. Despite his training, his power level, his profession, Bruce could not simply rip the attack on her mind away instantly without potentially posing a serious danger unto her mind. The mind was always a very tricky thing, and while he was capable, Bruce was always cautious when tending to it.

Marina would have to face the damage done in the form of visions that would pull on her secrets, her regrets, her fears, and her hatred wrought by it. No one but Marina could know what was about to come. If she were to struggle too much, Bruce could pull the damage from her mind and heal it if required though.

@Nightfall096

 

[Marina Giulestei]

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As Bruce spoke to her she repeated the steps of the code as he addressed them,

"There is no emotion,

There is no ignorance,

There is no passion,

There is no chaos,

There is no death"

And there would be none today either.

Within the trance her mind wandered, the dark being drawn like poison from a wound, slowly filing past her minds eye, and within it she saw things, the first of such hollow visions the dark side proffered against her, not wanting to leave so easily. She saw battle, a time long ago, on Sahmina, in Jhendali, in the height of the war. Barricades splintered about her as blaster bolts shot either side, the few soldiers around her cut down by the fire.

Peaking over her cover she looked across to the enemy position, a darkened shadow, a consuming fire that tore its way across the city to their position. If the darkness meant to make her despair from reminding her of that day, it had failed. For something then happened that the dark side did not expect.

As she turned back to shield her eyes, about her she realised she was no longer alone against the encroaching enemy, but the Jedi now stood with her. First, familiar faces, Bruce, Austin, Galahad, those who helped her in this directly. Then others, Lucian, Tynian, joined alongside. She was not alone against this enemy. And finally, in the corner of her eye, smiling quietly as he had done so, Vollen, her mind still lingered there too it seemed.

But against the darkness they were strong. Lightsaber in hand she threw herself across the barricade, and leapt out at the shadow. It had no purchase anymore, and fell back into the void of her mind.

She had passed the first test.


@Zigara

 

[Bruce Guleya]

Bruce found himself in what appeared to be a battle, perhaps a warfront? The exact location was a bit hazy to him he had never been her before but yet, it was like he'd been here all along and he'd known to details of the conflict and the history of the planet as a whole. The bardottan found himself an ethereal spectator of the conflict. He could see Marnia and could feel the panic. The illusion of defeat would press in on him, but he knew it was just that - an illusion.


Soon though, the panic would be cast off as he bore witness to the many familiar lightsaber blades burning brightly, a beacon in the ever growing dark. The shadowy figures loomed in the distance, their faces kept obscured but he recognized the blades. But what distracted him, was the golden blade, he knew that blade all too well. His own customized kyber crystal, imbued with his life's goal, his purpose, his own golden yellow eyes reflected in the burning plasma. His link to everything he had accomplished, everything he had done and would do… perhaps it would be remember. His distraction continued when the features became clear, it wasn't very often he looked upon himself. He had a smirk now, is that how people see him? Perhaps he needed to bulk up some.


His eyes feel now to each of his companions. A determined strength and resolve ready to shield their sister, to fight for their sister, the message was clear; she was Jedi and she was family. Never to be forgotten, never to be abandoned through her physical confrontations. She was at home with them and she'd beat away the darkness and the test.


But her resolve would be attacked and another personal battle would be waged in a matter of moments. Though he could see her and through her, she could not see his true being - she could only see the recreation she had established, who played it's role in the visions.

@Nightfall096

 

[Marina Giulestei]

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As she pulled herself across the battlefield, it seemed to suddenly recede into the darkness before her, snuffed out of her mind as the growing light of her and her allies gathered together, banishing it from that plane.

And then there was darkness. Almost as overwhelming as the fire from before, but not as hostile. It was simply... quiet. A first for her mind in some time. Marina spun round, her hallucinatory allies disappeared as well, leaving her in the silence of her mind, as if moved into the darkness of a cavern where few others dared to tread. This was what was left now, after the Wookies magics had been drawn out of her.

Now instead she had to pull herself back together.

Again she shifted her gaze, closing her eyes and reaching out with her feelings, seeking through it all a way out, to the force once more.

She of course had the perfect guide.

In her minds eye she saw the brilliant, pure light of Master Guleya, his form finding its way into her thoughts. He had done as he said, shown her the way out. And now she merely had to take it. As she drew closer to Bruce she felt the light begin to overtake her, the shimmering white of the force bathing her eyes. It felt as if she would be blinded. It was only then, when she felt she could resist its pull no more, she followed its direction, and opened her eyes,

“Thank you, Master Guleya” she whispered thankfully, as her mind and vision returned to the reality before her. It seemed, for now at least, she was whole again.

@Zigara