BALANCE | A Star Wars story

LIV

      The force sends a warning a split second before I'm thrown backwards and the two lightsabers fly out of my hands. I gather the force around me and to cushion my fall and I land by a nearby pillar.

       Moza is stood up now and has already called for his lightsaber, the purple haze covering half of his face. Groaning I push myself to my feet, I have but a second before Moza uses the force to push my backwards again. The force cushions my landing, welcoming me into its comforting arms. However the force doesn't prevent my head hitting the pillar, it does lessen the effects but not completely.

        My head spins now and my sight blurs as I push myself to my feet once again. I sway back and forth as the Grandmaster laughs at me, I call out in the force for my lightsaber and I soon feel it enter my open palm. I can't see straight, Moza is a blurred figure that never stays in one place. I swing out hastily, my movement loosely guided by the force, but connect with thin air.

All around me I hear his laughs and I turn in circles, getting more and more dizzy. My ears ring loudly and my head feels fuzzy. Distantly I feel myself fall to the floor again, I don't have to strength to cushion my fall this time but the force seems to do it without me commanding it. Or maybe I'm so concussed I can't tell that I'm hurt more.

There is a pressure that seems to be all around me, pressing against my head making it thump in time with my rapid heart beat. I feel a heat near my leg and can make out a blurred figure standing over me, it's laughing loudly and I want to scream at it to shut up. It's too loud. Everything is too loud, the laughing, the ringing in my ears, my very own heartbeat.

I can't remember what I was doing.

What is that heat that is coming from my leg?

Something hurts but I can't tell what. I can't understand anything anymore.

Distantly I hear screaming. Is that my own?

The pain that I can't really feel must become too much because suddenly the blurry figure fades away and silence ensues as my old friend darkness captures me once again.

○ ○ ○

         Always get back up Erinyes. A familiar voice strikes out in the darkness. Me and your mother taught you better than to just lie and except your fate. The future isn't a definite, it can be bent and changed if you want it hard enough. Change the future Erinyes. For us.

Don't just lie there girl, get up. Find that fire that burns so brightly in you woyunoks. I don't know where the voices are, I can't even tell who's speaking but they bring me comfort and my lunging headache begins to lesson.

         We believe in you Erin, comes a soft voice that I vaguely recognise and an image of a woman on the floor of a cell flashes through my mind. Stand up. Fight. Use the force, trust in it and you will always find your way.

         Go on Erin, put a stop to all of this. An image of a Twi'lek flashes in my mind and my headache has lessened significantly now. I can almost put a name to the voice.... Master. You have a strong connection with the force, use it and create a better galaxy for everyone.

         Erin. A kind red face pops into my vision, I know him. Mazal. His voice seems to stir something to others couldn't. My headache disperses and I feel myself floating away from the claws of death. Swimming back to the surface. For Mazal. That's it Erin, keep going. You're almost there, I'm so proud of you. Never give up nuyak zibeti, I am right here with you. Always.

           I break the surface of the water.

           My eyes fly open and a gasp leaves my mouth.

           Everything rushes back to me in a wave.

           Taking a deep breath, I draw strength from the force. I feel it pulse around me. I listen to its gentle hum that accompanies me wherever I go, feeling the steady rhythm resonate in my bones. Closing my eyes, I centre myself and become one with the force. Every atom of mine joins hands with the force, draining its strength into my body and reducing the concussion in my head so I can think properly. I sense a deep cut in my thigh and one in my stomach as well. The force whispers words of reassurance as it takes the pain away.

           Force healing is not something I have had much success with and I hate doing it because of all the consequences that it brings. Anytime I've practiced, on a piece of fruit or whatever, I've always ended up killing it or making the cut worse.

           This time though, as the force whispers in my ear, I know this time that it will be okay. The force repairs the cut in my leg and my stomach, I feel the headache ebb away until it's nonexistent. After what feels like a lifetime but in reality is only seconds, strength burns through me and I snap open my eyes.

           I can clearly see Moza now who has stumbled back in astonishment. His eyes are wide as I take in my surroundings, blood is pooled around me and I realise that the cut to my stomach was so deep it should've killed me. Guilt floods through me, if only I could've done this to save Mazal. You could've done if you didn't let your emotions control you, if you were a good Jedi. A nasty voice whispers at the back of my brain but I push it away, now is not the time to feel guilty.

           I push myself to my feet and wobble slightly but I right myself and push away any remains of dizziness. I barely have to outstretch my wrist and the guards lightsaber flies to my hand. I ignite it and stare up at Moza.

           "How?" He demands, "that isn't possible! It takes years and years of practice to force heal! You should be dead!" He yells outraged and I just shrug.

          "What can I say? I have a strong connection with the force," I use Master Nilims words, words that helped bring me back from the brink of death.

          "I will kill you," he snarls a promise that I really doubt he'll be able to keep.

          "I'd like to see you try," I say. The strength of the force runs through my veins, unleashing a power I never knew I had. I embrace this power and take a deep breath before running at Grandmaster Moza.

-Authors Note-
Yes okay I used force healing. Don't kill me.
At least she kinda had some training unlike Rey?
Anyways, I hope I wrote that well. It was kinda rushed.