Saga Wild Knights: Grasping an Ancient Fire (Obi-Wan, Siri, Garen) - Digital Specters/Completed 5/5

Excellent post, Red! Poor, poor tormented Ben'al. *sniff*

Can you post a link to that holiday story you posted that features Amare as a sith?

Thanks for sharing your stories with us!

Oh that was scary! Poor Ben'al indeed Seeing the remains of his wife had to hurt.

Can't wait to see what info is on the disk! Something she killed for as well as himself? Interesting.

It seems journeys are coming to an end. And yet the end is still not in sight. Ahh, the joy of a cliffhanger.

Poor Ben'al. It had to be bad enough for his wife to become a Sith, but to be ordered by the Council to be the one to kill her - wow.

I am still wondering what happened with Risa that he feels betrayed or that she wasn't protected. And now, of course, I wonder what is on the disk.

I know one of them must know how to display whatever is on that disk, ancient technology be damned! 7

Is Amare who I think she was? (girl who he convinced to complete the carving)

Was the other body his? What is on the disk? Now I'm even more confused!

I have a feeling that the body he just destroyed was his own...and that's strangely cool.

I must be morbid or something.

Maybe the reason he feels Risa wasn't protected is that her descendant (and his), Obi-Wan, is now a Jedi. Because he somehow senses that Obi-Wan is related to him, and even though the Jedi are different now than they were when he was alive, he doesn't want Obi-Wan going through what he went.

Or! He feels Risa wasn't protected because she didn't get to live out her life as a Jedi, like he felt she deserved.

Oh! Excellent observation! That could very well have been Ben'al's own body--how else would he know the disk was there?

And if that's the case, that would mean he died with Amare, too.

Argh! red, you have to get back to the Tale series.

You evil author!

I have a feeling that the body he just destroyed was his own...and that's strangely cool.

I have to agree with that one

What Jade said?!

Risa???

I'm so sad for Amare and Ben'al and Risa and without knowing the full story...more than I could ever be for THAT COUPLE in the official saga, which probably comes as no surprise to you.

There was a holiday challenge story with Caedo? How did I miss that.

Jedikma?You will find out about the disk, eventually.

Moldy-One?A wee bit jealous are we? And what scene were you wanting?

ObiLegolas?The story is called A Gift of Warmth. It's only about five or so posts.

Kynstar?It probably didn't hurt as much as when he killed her?

Neo-Paladin?Oh, the end is really close, it will happen sometime next week.

Noi?You will get some answers about Risa today.

jedi7?Are you certain?

PK?Yup. See, I answered one of your questions!

ca tron?If you are confused now, wait until after today.

Loki?Morbid but true.

Jedikma?The next very short volume will start in a few weeks probably.

Zebra3?LOL

honour?It's well, from 2003. And it kind of tells the story of Amot Kiir, and if you remember that was mentioned in the prologue of Tale1.

Well, I got my act together and did a major rewrite of this next chapter. It will bring to close a part of the story.

Chapter Ninety-One

There were so many degrees of wrong encircling this moment in Garen Muln's life and none of it; he felt he had any control over. Even his own body seemed to want to betray him, keeping him from standing still and studying everything. He just had to keep moving.

Gaining control through silent demands, he came to an abrupt stop. The edges of his cloak shifted forward and stirring the ashy floor. Twisting about, he turned his full attention on the strange specter that moved to block the corridor that Siri had disappeared into when he had not been paying attention.

He knew the spirit could not truly stop him from entering the gateway, but there was just something about the calm figure, with his hands folded into the wide sleeves of his cloak that seemed immovable. It was a foolish notion.

"This place cannot be sacred," he said evenly, hiding the uncertainty that seemed to grip him. There was more but the words were stifled when a flicker of light caught the edge of his peripheral vision. Shifting his gaze toward one of the statues, he caught sight of the flicker again. A small smile tugged at his lips as he started across the room. Finally, there was something real and definable in all this madness. Something that made sense to him when nothing else had.

Plunging his fingers into the loose stone that had gathered behind one of the tall Sith idols, he was a little surprised to touch a cool metal surface. "There is no such thing as Force ghosts." Retreating slightly he turned back toward the spirit and asked, "Master Dormus, are you a holocron?"

The elderly figure turned and looked at him with a wondrous expression. "I am as you chose me to be," came a simple reply. "I am here to watch over and protect the shrine."

With that, the Jedi tugged at the hexagonal shape, tearing it free of its wall mounting and the ghost vanished without so much as a flicker. Holding the holocron close, he studied it briefly?it was Jedi made?before looking to Quim. ?Why was it left behind? He was lacking in vital pieces of information. Without you, we would never have known that this place was the site of a slaughter."

Quim shook his head sadly. ?In its time, that would have been enough to ward of curious Jedi from disturbing the sleeping."

"You keep saying that, but we both know that is just a euphemism for murder."

A loud snort echoed about the chamber from the great Draigon. "You are very young." He brushed past the Jedi and headed toward the corridor entrance that Siri had followed Ben'al into. "The holocron was not left behind to protect the Sith dead."

?What more dead could there be?? Garen asked bitterly.

Quim did not reply, just plunged into the tunnel with the Jedi a few, reluctant steps behind.

Prepared to ignite his weapon to light the way, Garen drew it, but paused. He could see the outline of the Draigon as light seeped into the tunnel from the chamber beyond. Clipping his saber hilt back to his utility belt, he shifted the holocron from one hand to the other. The metal casing was still cold in his grip and he brushed his thumbs over the intricate patterns cut into it. It was not like any holocron he had seen before. So focused on it, he nearly crashed into the Quim who had stopped at the entrance to the funerary chamber. "What?"

"I had wished for Tyrian to take this place," Quim growled as memory and reality collided for the first time in more than a millennium. He glanced about the chamber, quickly noting how it had changed from the last time he had been there. The glassy surface of the walls had once filled with light, reflecting like a thousand mirrors and vanquishing the darkness but now the thick layers of ash blocked the light. High above, dusty webs filled the vaulted ceiling, shifting with every little movement below.

Consciously ignoring the center of the chamber, Quim turned his gaze to the female Jedi, the one that had been so feisty when a prisoner on Maka's ship. She was now subdued, almost frightened looking. She reminded him of a youngl

Wonderful chapter! I enjoyed the background information on Risa. So that's what happened to her.

And Ben'al has it figured out that Obi-Wan is a decendant.

Poor oe is going to have a fit that Ben'al is gone!

"You should be proud. She had your stubbornness and Amare's goodness, she could do anything she wanted and she helped so many in her lifetime." For a moment, he thought he had assuaged his friend's fears. "You did what you thought was best for her. There is no failure in that."

How sad!

Awww that was great! Poor Ben'al At least he got to know the truth about his child and the girl's descendents. Wow! Mighty healer was she for sure then! And the fact that the line ended back up in the Jedi. I'm sure he seemed not too upset at that prospect.

Sad to see the guy go, but I'm sure Obi, Siri, and Garen will be quite happy that the 'essence' is gone.

Awesome job! Fluffy imagine that

Great chapter indeed!!

Jedikma is right, I think: oe is going to very grumpy with you about Ben'al's departure.

*crawls out of bed to read*


Oh! This is my favorite chapter so far. Heartbreaking as it is. SO many wonderful moments.

Would Ben'al not know peace even in death?

Waaaaa!!!

"He lost his arm when the remaining Furies surrounded and murdered him." It was a strange sensation speaking of the dead, someone he had not spoken of in so long. Speaking of one who sat so close, on the other side of the bier.

I really don't think I want you to reach this part of Tale. I don't think I can handle it.

"To stop her, my soul had been ripped from my body and replaced with a shadow that I could not control.

So Ben'al had to go a bit Darkside himself in the end hum? I suppose it makes sense. He was always walking a fine line between the two. Events like those he lived through would push anybody over.

"Leave it be," Ben'al said, motioning the Draigon to leave the wrapped remains as they were. "It is just a shell."

No, it was more than that. "One that I call friend."

The ancient Jedi smiled, that ever so familiar smile, and then slowly stood up.

Quim felt his very spirit ache even as he hesitantly obeyed. He knew deep inside that the time was growing short. He would not be denied a second chance at saying goodbye. He circled the bier, drawing close to his friend.

This was such a wonderful moment between the two old firends. I need a tissue!

Ben'al held up his hand.

The question did not need to be asked.

That's the scene I requested although it wasn't quite what I expected. It's nice that Ben'al knows about his connection to Obi-Wan and Quim could help him find peace with it. So will Quim look at Obi-Wan any differently? Knowing how he's related to Ben'al?

"I am tired," Ben'al said softly.

"Stay," the Draigon begged.

"Not without Amare." Ben'al brightened, offering a warm smile. "Do not be silly, Fluffy. I am rather used to being dead and I think he would like to have his life back."


Nooooooo!!!! Bring him back Red! Please!

Truly wonderful chapter but now I'm sad.

Poor Ben'al

So he knew that Obi-Wan was his descendant. He wanted his daughter away from the Sith. I wonder how he would feel to know that his descendant was only Jedi in the current Order to have killed a Sith. Or maybe he knows.

Fluffy I get the feeling that only Ben'al could get away with calling Quim Fluffy.

**Edited because I am sometimes stupid and the thought of Quim calling Ben'al Fluffy is too weird.

Actually Noi, isn;t it the reverse? Fluffy is/was Ben'al's cute little nickname for the Draigon. Don't we already know how Ben'al died- thanks to the holo that Obi-Wan and Obitot watched.

I liked how Garen kept his resolve. It's easy for Quim and Ben'al to dismiss the other Jedi as young, but that doesn't make them any less right or wrong.

It will be interesting to see how things progress now that Ben'al isn't there.

That seemed to be a closure for Ben'al, but also not one. Things are finally starting to be answered.

Jedikma?You will get a lot more about Risa in the coming future. (Hopefully.)

Zebra3?Yup.

Kynstar?Yeah, but with Ben'al gone, they have a whole new set of problems. I wonder what they are going to tell the Council.

honour?Not to worry, she'll get over it. Eventually.

Weepy One?Well, unfortunately, I will go there. I mean the goal is to tell Ben'al's story, the good the bad and ugly. But you are easily quote a few volumes away.

Noi?Yup. I don't think Quim would be too tolerant of that nickname from anyone but Ben'al.

PK?Yup, that was Ben'al's death without a soundtrack.

Neo-Paladin?Things should go easily. It's all about wrap up now.

ca tron?Yup, and some more answers for the next few days.

Thanks everyone. This week you get four posts. The last four posts.

Chapter Ninety-Two

The afternoon sun cut through the thick layer of ash that perpetually blanketed Tobos, casting its deep yellow light across the craggy rock face. Long shadows danced over the rough floor as Koth's men moved about, shifting heavy equipment back and forth.

Breaking his silent oversight of the operation, Koth joined the Gamorrean who was pulling a sled of drilling equipment back toward the waiting hulk of the Obsidian Raptor. "There will be plenty of time to rest once we are off this rock!" he barked to his weary crew.

Maybe he sensed the strange foreboding that had encircled the area.

The Darkness seemed to move.

"We shall celebrate like kings!" There was a beat. "And queens!" Koth smiled as he looked toward the loading ramp of his ship and the quiet image of Tabil who watched the work.

Garen followed a few paces behind, squinting when he stepped from the carved entrance into the bright afternoon. A chill wind cut across the plains and through the layers of his clothing. He wished for his cloak as he spied the pirate captain and his muscle drag the sled away. He wondered why waste time dragging old equipment about, Koth was now in possession of two of the biggest blocks of thamite in the known galaxy. He could certainly afford something newer and better.

Sensing the Draigon approach, Garen said, "The Force feels disturbed."

Moving in to aid the two, Quim rushed passed the Jedi pushed on the sled, driving it back from the entrance to the shrine. "The dead have been awoken."

"Who? Ben'al and his wife?"

"The others." Quim growled, pushing with such strength that he nearly sent Koth and Grunt tumbling out of the way.

Shaking his head, the Jedi jogged to catch up. "You cannot be serious."

"Do not waste my time with denials, child," Quim shot back. "You know what you have seen."

? ? ?

The shadows seemed to be alive, moving all about. And the darkness, like a miasma swirled about, closing in on him. Obi-Wan felt himself struggling through the darkness, but felt helpless to control his path.

The darkness filled his lungs, suffocating him.

Not even death will reunite you!

His world swam black.

Jerking awake from the nightmare that had gripped him, Obi-Wan cried out as the light seemed to pierce his brain and set it on fire. Tears welled as he desperately squeezed his eyes closed trying to block out the agony suddenly foisted upon him.

A sluggish hand reached up and pulled his hood low before covering his eyes. A soft groan escaped him. His entire being felt sluggish, as if still lingering on the edge of sleep.

Shifting slightly, he tried to shake the drowsiness, eager to escape the strange dreams that had gripped him.

If moving had not been so difficult he would have looked about for the herd of Bantha that had trampled him. Instead, he took comfort in the padded bench seat of the speeder he was curled up in and the warmth of all the cloaks piled all around him. He caught a hint of floral scent in the grey coat that was folded up like a pillow under his pounding head.

Now if everyone would just be quiet until the thundering in his head went away.

Garen's distant voice filtered into his aching brain and he strained to hear what his friend was saying but could only make out the occasional word. There was a little strain in his voice, but nothing in it to set the Jedi on edge. While darkness seemed to surround the area, there seemed to be no immediate danger.

Besides, somewhere in the dream, he thought he remembered Garen reassuring him that everything was all right and that he should rest while things were wrapped up.

?Careful! Careful!? A loud crash followed the deep voice.

Obi-Wan cringed. If it weren?t for the pain the sudden noise caused, he may have been concerned for the growl of the voice that had accompanied it. ?The Draigon.?

?You don?t need to fear him,? a soft, feminine voice said. It was terribly close.

It was not Siri.

Straightening slightly, he started to op

You probably don't wanna remember Obi. And we'll leave it at that! Who wants to know that they had been possessed by a ghost? I know I sure wouldn't!!

Poor Obi! Headache and sluggish!

I like Janua always have

Great chapter!