Robert Meta
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Star Wars: Rise of the Battlemage - Chapter 188
🕑 Added 2024-12-09 16:54:32 +0000 UTCDespite his misgivings about me potentially making his father's… condition worse, Luke didn't hold what I had done against me. The younger Force-sensitive might want to bring his father back to the light, but he understood that, in the meantime, Darth Vader was currently a menace. It was honestly a bit concerning and made me wonder how that kind of knowledge sat in someone's mind, that their father was out there, being a horrible person, and it was up to you to stop them.
I mentally made a promise to make sure Luke was getting the training and help he needed, the Rebellion be damned if they tried to get in the way. He needed support, and I was damn sure I was going to give it to him.
Eventually, after an hour or so of small talk and chatting, both Ahsoka and Yoda joined us. I could see that Ahsoka was feeling better, and while Yoda was a lot harder to read, he seemed to be walking lighter as well. Once they returned, we gathered outside the ancient Jedi Masters home.
"This stage of your training, complete it is," Yoda confirmed, nodding to Luke, who looked surprised but excited. "Your connection to the Force, remarkable it is. Powerful you are becoming."
"I... Thank you, Master Yoda," Luke responded with a bow. "I know I need to go. The Rebellion needs my help… But will I be able to return? Will you still be… Would you train me more?"
"A good question, that is," Yoda responded. "Depends on Deacon, it does."
"What?" I asked, confused about his statement. "What am I doing?"
"Wish to see this Nirn, I do," Yoda asks, looking me directly in the eye. "Pulls at me, the Force does. Whispers to me, it does, of the new home of the Jedi. See it, I wish to before I pass."
“But… you said…” Luke started, his eyes wide. "Wouldn't that kill you?"
"Pass, I would eventually. No better place to do, than among those who remain," He pointed out. "Months, it would take. Time to teach, I have, before becoming one with the Force."
"If you are sure, I will take you," I answer confidently, both Ahsoka and Luke whirling to look at me with wide eyes, which I meet easily. "He is dying, how could I deny him a proper home until he leaves? Besides, a mentally healthy and competent person has the right to choose their own path, especially at the end of it. That said… I would like to revisit my previous offer."
"On your abilities, I have meditated. Agree, I will, to let you heal me," Yoda said with a nod. "Trust you, the Force seems to."
"The Force… trusts me?" I asked, my curiosity peaked at his statement. "In what way?"
"Around you, the Force is, flowing as you act," He explains, leaning on his cane. "Draw on it, you cannot. Yet follow you, it does. Every choice you make, woven around you it is. Eager to shift as you do, it feels."
"Huh… that's interesting," I admitted, trying not to have a mental breakdown on just what that might entail. "Always nice to know the potential fate-manipulating, semi-sentient, universe-spanning, psychically symbiotic energy field likes me enough that it follows me around."
Ahsoka nearly slaps her forehead as I talk, but Yoda let out a short, bark of a laugh at my description, prompting raised eyebrows from both her and Luke.
"More concerned, I would be, if amusement, I could not feel," Yoda responded. "Sourceless and yet here, the Force it could be, perhaps? Maybe, maybe."
"Okay, for the sake of my own sanity, perhaps we could move on from the topic?" I asked, nearly begging. "Who wants a nice dose of healing? You already gave your consent, so no complaining."
I focused for a moment before I dual cast Grand Healing, its potent restorative energy flowing from me and encircling all three of my companions. Before that could even fade, I cast Circle of Healing, creating a zone of healing around us. Then, as that was going, and as my mana permitted it, I cast Grand Healing and Heal Middling Trauma over and over, with the latter focused on Yoda. This continued until the Circle of healing ended, and I let the dancing golden magic fade, the dazzling lights flickering away into nothing. As they did, both Ahsoka and Luke leaned in, watching their mentor closely.
The ancient Jedi seemed to pull in on himself, and for a moment, I feared something had gone wrong. Thankfully, before that sinking feeling could drop very far, he seemed to uncoil and stand up straight, straighter than I had ever seen him in person. He reminded me of the Yoda I knew from the prequels, with just a bit more spine in his back and a bit more strength in his eyes. He was still old, and he still leaned on his cane, but I could tell something had changed, even if he wasn't moving around.
"Hmmm, good, I feel. Worked, to a degree, your magic has," He admitted. "Slightly release my hold on the Force, I was able to. Longer will I survive without it. No longer weeks will I live, maybe months."
"And if I come by every once in a while to heal you again?" I asked, a bit hopeful that we could keep the little gremlin around.
"Forever, I will not live," He responded, shaking his head. "Helped you have, but a limit to what can be done, there is. Happy, I am, to have this extra time. Thank you, Deacon Roy."
We talked for a while longer, describing Nirn and our most recent mission. Luke was glad to hear more details about the failed raid but was understandably upset when he learned that the betrayal had almost certainly come from inside the Rebellion.
"I could look into it when I get back," he offered. "I have a high enough rank to get involved, and most people would probably be happy to help if I was investigating."
"I appreciate that, but I already have a plan for that. I would like you to be there at the negotiations, and feel free to chime in, but specifically for investigations? I have something already in mind," I explained vaguely. "Thank you for the offer, though."
Eventually, we started to get ready to leave. Yoda packed up a few things, filling a single small bag, before Luke helped him onto his back so he could carry him. After that, we slowly made our way through the swamps. It was a slow, solemn journey, heavy with the knowledge that this was a known death sentence for the ancient Jedi that accompanied us. Surprisingly, though, honestly, it shouldn't have been, Yoda retained an excitement as we made our way through the forest. He was clearly happy to finally be leaving Dagobah behind and even more excited to see Nirn and the Jedi that lived there.
When we finally arrived at the ship, Yoda hopped off Luke's back and stood at the base of the boarding ramp, not yet setting foot on the ship.
While Luke and Ahsoka ran the ship through its extended pre-flight checklist, I stood at the back of the freighter's cargo bay, looking down at the ramp where Yoda was standing. He hadn't moved in a while, still looking out at the swampy landscape, his eyes scanning the area. Eventually, after nearly ten minutes of silent staring, he closed his eyes and bowed his head. For a moment, there was nothing, and then I could feel a wave of pressure wash over us, shifting the branches and vines around the ship and causing ripples in the nearby swampy ponds.
The entire swamp seemed to suddenly go silent, as if the wildlife had only just realized what sort of dangerous beast they had been sharing their swamps with. Yoda, the tiny Jedi Master, stood there and enjoyed the silence for a full minute before turning away from the landscape.
"Released my hold, I have," He announced, slowly making his way up the ramp. "Done with this place, I am. Excited I am, to see my new resting place."
"Alright, then, let's get you settled in, and I'll let the others know we are ready to leave, though…" I could feel the ship beginning to ready, the engines spinning up. "Yeah, they could probably feel it themselves."
I led Yoda further into the ship, eventually bringing him to one of the sleeping quarters. He explained that he wished to rest and meditate, and I wished him good luck. By the time I stepped through the doorway into the bridge, Ahsoka was already pulling us off of the planet, pointing us up towards space.
"How is he?" Luke asked, distracted but trying to stay focused on the console in front of him. "He didn't collapse or anything, did he?"
"No, he is in one of the quarters, meditating," I assured him, putting my hand on his shoulder. "He seemed to be okay, though even I could feel it when he let go. How did it feel for you guys?"
"Like a light you didn't know was on suddenly being shut off," Ahsoka said, shaking her head. "What he was doing was incredible… it would have burned out a lesser Jedi. I certainly would never be able to do it."
"I think you might be surprised. Strength in the Force is rarely connected to the clarity of the connection," I explained. "There are plenty of examples of sentients with weak connections at best becoming one with the Force as they face great danger."
"... It's still weird to hear you talk like a Master, Deacon," Ahsoka said, though I could hear the smile in her voice. "And you're not wrong. But there is something to be said about inherent levels of connection."
"Maybe, maybe not. Think about who taught you that, Ahsoka. A Jedi Order that had spent the previous thousand years slowly becoming a shadow of its former self," I explained with a shrug. "They felt it was necessary to test for potential and label their people as weak or strong, but do you think the Force would really care? Sure, people like Luke and his father might have an easier time learning the ins and outs, but do you really think something like the Force would deny you something simply because you couldn't feel it as easily as Luke?"
The two Force-sensitives were quiet, sharing a look before they both turned to look at me. Luke was smiling, and Ahsoka was smirking.
"Whenever we get the next order up and running, you will be coming by frequently to lecture and teach," Ahsoka said in no uncertain terms, Luke nodding along in agreement. "It really is like listening to some of the masters, even if some of your ideas might have gotten you into hot water with traditionalists."
"Eh, I'll just write a book, and you guys can make it mandatory reading," I said. "As long as you pay me royalties."
Luke laughed, and Ahsoka rolled her eyes before both of them refocused on flying. We had reached space when they had turned around to look at me, and all that was left was to jump to lightspeed.
The trip was thankfully on the shorter side, and we arrived at Nirn after just a bit under two days. Yoda was with us on the bridge when we finally dropped out of hyperspace, having spent most of his time meditating and sleeping. Immediately upon arrival, with Nirn floating in front of us, tasking us a good chunk of our viewports, Yoda seemed to rock back, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.
"Feel the truth in your description, I can. Alive with the Force, this planet is," He said, opening his eyes to stare at the slowly rotating globe in front of us. "I believe… My time here may be longer than I had even hoped…"
"More than six months?" Luke asked hopefully, spinning in his seat to look back at his mentor.
"Perhaps, impossible to know for certain, it is," he admitted. "But hopeful, I am."
Luke seemed to be buoyed by the news that Yoda would be around for even longer, and soon, we began to descend towards the planet. We messaged ahead that we would like to see Amescoll, and he agreed to meet us at one of the landing pads.
The fact that we had landing pads at all was news to us, of course.
Sure enough, as we descended towards Vercopa, it was clear that those working on the small city had made great progress. A few dozen permanent buildings had been erected, flat ground had been laid for starships to land, and streets had been set down, though it was all gravel and stone for now. The dwellings were simple, each seeming to have multiple homes built into one building, clustered into almost apartment clumps. As we flew low, I could see gardens and play areas set up, with kids looking up at the ship as we flew overhead.
"It is coming along nicely," Luke said with a smile, peering through the viewport. "How many families are living here?"
"A few dozen," I responded, unable to keep a smile off my face. "I know most of Clan Syr is already here, and our earliest recruits have settled their families here as well."
We landed on one of the larger pads, taking our time as the ship shut down, and we waited for Amescoll to arrive, which he did after a short wait. After spotting him approaching in a small civilian speeder, we made our way out of the ship. When we began descending the boarding ramp, the Jedi Knight was standing there, waiting for us.
"Deacon! It is good to see you!" He called out from the boarding ramp. "I- Master Yoda!"
Like a clip from a movie, the older Jedi Knight spotted the smaller Jedi Master as he was greeting me, doing a complete double take, his eyes opened wide.
"Knight Amescoll, good to see you, it is," Yoda said, quickly walking down the ramp, where Amescoll greeted him on one knee. "Done well, you have. Told me of your work protecting and guiding the Padawans, Deacon has. Proud, I am. Proud, your master would have been."
Yoda reached out, putting his hand on the Knight's shoulder, the older man looking beyond happy to see one of his mentors had survived.
"It's amazing to see you as well, Master Yoda," he assured him. "I… I cannot believe you survived! I did not think anyone made it off Coruscant."
"Not many of us did," Yoda agreed solemnly. "But we must not drown in sorrow at our loss. Celebrate those who have survived, we must. To celebrate coming together again, important it is."
"We should organize a meal, a feast! And show you around the village," The Jedi Knight said excitedly, as if in seeing his older mentor, he partially reverted to a kid. "The Padawans… The kids…"
Amescoll trailed off, suddenly looking a bit panicked. His Padawans had learned in a lot more flexible way than the order considered acceptable, and a few even had kids, despite the rules against it. Yoda immediately picked up on Amescoll's panic and squeezed his shoulder.
"Worry, you should not, understand the folly of the Republic and old Jedi Order, I do," Yoda admitted. "Judge you, I will not. Hope to learn, I do."
“Oh… well…”
"Maybe we should go somewhere a bit quieter before doing anything like a feast or a tour," I suggested. "We have a lot of things to talk about, and not all of them are pleasant.
"Of course," Amescoll said with a nod. "We could use my home. The Padawans and builders insisted on making my home bigger than the other, so we may as well use it."
Amescoll headed off confidently, leading the way back to his civilian speeder, which was thankfully large enough for all of us. It didn't take long for the speeder to take off, our destination set for Amescoll's new home.
Comments
Michael Rojas
Its my head cannon that Boxi survived, finds a Xenomorph egg, and starts smuggling them on imperial ships. This story has an unfortunate lack of Xenomorphs..
Freya
Tyftc
Jason Markus
Does Deacon not know about Ood Banar, Kina Ha, or the Iron Knights? They would all join him if went and asked them.
Lord Belly
So deacon definitely has an altered lifespan considering what mana can do to the body, I wonder if Ashoka will too. Fuck, this IS a combination of canon’s, so it’s well known that Darth Revan lived for several centuries
Feliprins
Teaching the force Deacon is, remembered old lore he has.
Nicholas Rambusch
Gotta get that sweet sweet separatist tech
Duke of Coffee
So Deacon change the plot point, let see what effects it will bring.
andrew rousseau
Haha, love how you characterised yoda, and i wanna find out Miru has been tearing throught the CIS ships archives and databanks looking for more raid targets, gotta build up the fleet to defend nirn ya know
