Down in the Dark (Eir)

[Hatoful GM]

The hand remained outstretched, unmoving. "Eir, you were created, bred, with a singular purpose. But I cannot reveal that until you take your place at my side."

His head inclined. "And that shall be your place. Have you not always wanted one? Stability, certainty? A father? You would have all those, and more. I would see to it."

[Eir]

“A father?” the girl’s tone was scornful, “you tinker around in my DNA and you want me to call you father? Why stop there? why not call yourself a god?” Conflict rose in Eir’s heart, a place to belong, she mused, a place to return to? She shifted slightly, pressing her ankle against the rucksack, reassuring herself of its prescence, don’t leave anything behind, you might not be back.

[Hatoful GM]

A flat chuckle came from behind the mask. "Why not indeed? You could too, you know. In time."

He took a step forward, his hand opening further. "Come, Eir. Fulfill your destiny. Your birthright is yours for the taking. You only need to reach out and grasp it."

[Eir]

Stoically still, Eir’s hands remained stubbornly inside her sleeves. “Even an inbred, backwater moisture farmer knows you don’t buy a droid in a poke. Do you think I’m stupid enough to take an offer, sight unseen? What can you offer me that the Jedi cannot?”

[Hatoful GM]

"Your true destiny." Lord Destrus hissed. "Don't you feel it? Haven't things always felt wrong to you? That things are not as they should be? Join with me, claim what is yours, what has always been yours, and all that has been wrong with your life will be made right."

[Eir]

"Why won't you tell me?" inside her sleeves, her fingers gripped at her forearms, "what are you hiding?" She'd always felt out of place, small, insignificant, but no amount of destiny was going to undo what had been done, and she held on to that thought. "What does it cost?"

[Hatoful GM]

He shook his head. "It is exactly what it seems. You will join me. You will be my most favored apprentice. You will have power and wealth. As has always been your destiny. You deserve it, for who you are. The Jedi offer you servitude. I offer you a place, and the power to do whatever you wish."

[Eir]

"Why me? why now?" Eir demanded. "You made me wrong and you threw me away, and now you want something from me?" her voice was rising, arms unfolding to hang loosely at her sides. "I was cold. Hungry. Alone! And you hold out your hand and expect me to lick it like a kicked dog? You want me to serve you instead?"

[Hatoful GM]

The hand clenched.

"We cannot fight destiny. For a time, you were destined to follow another path. But now, you can cast that false path aside. Take your true place! Can you not feel that it was what you were bred for? Power, respect, comfort. Knowing your place in the universe! All these will be yours, once you join me."

[Eir]

The clenched fist reassured her, somehow. “A convenient excuse,” Eir retorted. “You cannot tempt me with hollow words, you have nothing to offer me.” Power, wealth, and respect were nebulous, abstract concepts, she had never know them.

[Hatoful GM]

"Do I not?" The voice sounded amused. "My dear child. I offer you wealth and power beyond anything you've experienced. The days of being hungry, of stealing or begging for scraps, will be behind you forever. Nor even the meager trappings of the Jedi, which are so much less than you deserve. You were born for these things, and you shall have them."

He leaned forward, seeming to loom above her. "But more than that, you shall finally be in your proper place. As my favored student, you shall be second to no one. Do you not see how the others are more favored than you? Chriala clearly favors Taime over you. Master Orgus favors Silas, and Jaric Ares. Mir thrives under Farissa, her tutelage accelerating his growth."

"And Corvin..." He shook his head. "Anyone could see that he preferred the training of Zizzy and Zanja. Any girl but you, really, it seemed."

He offered his hand again. "Join me, and suffer these injustices no longer. Take what rightfully belongs to you!"

[Eir]

Eir proudly lifted her chin, but her eyes showed wavering resolve. It’s true, a hateful whisper hissed in the back of her mind, don’t you remember? and of course she did remember, seeing that message for the first time, being told she was being put forward for the trials, in the same group as Taime, of course. She remembered the certainty she was being set up to fail.

She remembered Mir telling her that four years ago, he didn’t know what a Jedi was.

She remembered Esla asking about Ilum.

She remembered Zanja leading Reg and the other children away from the Black Sun vehicle.

She remembered visiting Fang with Corvin amd Zizzy and, now that she thought about, didn’t he look at the beautiful mikkian with more fondness than he ever had her?

She remembered getting dressed this morning, and a wave of shame and disgust washed over her. She was still as small as a child, traces of puppy fat still rounded her cheeks, her hips narrow and boyish, her little bee sting breasts that hurt most days and were tender. She would never be tall and graceful, like Farissa. She saw the Silas looked at the pantoran woman. Zanja had complained, she was getting taller, she would need new boots. Zizzy who sparkled more brightly than veins of glittering minerals in the Spire of Tranquility.

She remembered all this, and tears came to her glowing eyes. But she remembered something else too. “You didn’t want me either!” the girl cried, “why did my destiny change? why now?”

[Hatoful GM]

He shook his head, slowly and sadly. "Oh, my dear child. If there had been any other way... but sometimes destiny must be cruel before it can be kind."

He straightened once more. "But now that is done. Your time of going without is over. Your time of being looked over for your undeservedly lucky classmates is over. You are home."

[Eir]

Eir closed her eyes, she breathed slowly, deeply, she was still as a statue.



Time passed.



Within, Eir felt herself tearing in two.



A galaxy turned, civilzations rose, mountains fell... or maybe it was only the blink of an eye.



Slowly, Eir’s child-like hands curled into little fists.

Her eyes opened.

“No.”

Her voice did not waver, nor did her gaze. “The only destiny I want is the one I build. You will never discard me again.” The half-arkanian scooped her rucksack up from the floor and, turning, slung it on her shoulder. She did not look back as she walked away from the Sith.

[Hatoful GM]

For a moment, the hand reached after her, but then it fell to his side.

THE VISION FADES

It seemed that she hadn't gone very far at all. The entrance she'd come in from was just ahead. The light streaming in from it was almost blinding.

[Eir]

Eir closed her eyes once more, blocking out the painful light. Rubbing one eye with her knuckles, she felt the dried residue of tears. Flashes of memory blared through her mind, it would take some time to sort through it all, but one stood out, shit.

Eyes flying open, Eir blinked, trying to reaclimate after the darkness, “Corvin!”

[Corvin Zell]

Corvin was kneeling exactly where she'd last seen him. Outside the cave, that is.

He rose instantly to his feet at her sudden appearance, instantly alert. Dark brown eyes flashed concern, even if his rugged features were just as stoic as ever.

"Eir." He said, his voice deep and rough.

[Eir]

Eir let out a breath she didn’t realise she’d been holding, stumbling out of the temple, stopping a few feet from the Knight. Her eyes closed and her shoulders slumped, barely able to remain standing. She felt like she’d been running for miles, her body ached and she couldn’t catch her breath.

[Corvin Zell]

Corvin stood watching, his expression serious.

After a few moments, he spoke. "You did it." He gave her a nod. "Well done." He fell silent again, watching her.

[Eir]

She straightened, gathered herself. She knew Corvin was fine, but now she was sure, she could at least put that to rest. Eir felt the distance between them, it might as well have been a mile. The girl mirrored the Knight’s unsmiling countenance, “thank you, Knight Corvin.” You were always alone, there is no destiny but what you make for yourself.