The End (Friends welcome)

[Orihime Ike]

She was late... or could you be late to this? No matter, there was a look on the small girls face though while she was walking quickly with her robes. THe ancient jedi master's robes pulsing with the force before she pulled her hair back into a tight ponytail to come and visit a friend of her mothers. The woman famous for her kindness and practicality but also because she had helped them before bowing and looking around. "A apologize, my mother wanted to be here but she is investigating cult sightings on the outer rim." Orihime wasn't in there with Feena but she was moving to join and give her respects while breathing in deeply the scents around her.

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

And for a moment, they laughed. One last laugh together. But it would be short and fleeting before cough blood stained the guardian handkerchief she was using. His eyes widened in concern, but it wasn't long before she was back to herself - or as close to herself as she could be in this state.

To her words, he smiled faintly. "I suppose not" He spoke quietly. Tears finally started to show in his eyes. He couldn't hold it in much longer. There was a very real chance that this was goodbye.... To her request, he nodded. "Of course, Feena" Josh said, taking a breath. He would reach over and take Feena's hands for a moment, smiling over at her.

"In case your time comes before we see one another again... I just wanted to say.... Thank you for everything"

Those were his final words before he released her hands gently, smiled one more time back at her, and walked out.

"Feena wants to see her brother" The Jedi Master spoke gently as he would take his seat back on the bench that he'd been waiting at earlier.

He had no regrets now. He had done all that he could in the time allotted.

 

[Bolt]

Zaiden nodded slowly. He was last, which suited his plans just fine. In her weakened state, telling her of these plans was nonsense. It would anger her, and send her over faster. So instead he walked in, finding himself wiping at the tear that spilled freshly from his eye.

Offering a sad smile he mumbled, "Sorry I was so crazy earlier.." He hoped her skills were impaired enough to not sense the darkside bomb that he had become since he began to bring in the energies. Keter may, but if the others had believed it simply because of his distraught status, hopefully they would as well.

[member="Feena Mason"]

 

[Feena]

Her brother. The darkness to her light. They balanced each other. She kept him from drifting too far into shadow, and he kept her from sacrificing everything she had. But now it was over. Her hold on him was slipping. Dangerous. She knew it, yet she kept smiling.

"I'm sorry I was the cause of it," she responded, "Zaiden, hold my hand?"

She lifted a finger, the best she could do now. She felt so weak here at the end of it all.

"I need to ask a favor of you."

[member="Razor Shot"]

 

[Vorhi Alestrani]

[member="Felicity Mason"]


The older man was taken back by that. He was rarely asked for favors, or advice. He looked over at the girl. He remembered when she was a small child, and when Celeste hadn't yet been born. "Felicity," he said softly. "Speak your mind. I'm afraid I may not have many answers, but I'll try," he said, surprisingly somber and sober. He'd always been a clown, a trickster. Laughing at the universe. But, even he couldn't laugh at the death of someone good. His on death, on the other hand, would be a mixture of laughter and tears. He smiled weakly. The child seemed nice. Owain seemed nice. Felicity seemed bothered. Still, he'd help. He was good at being helpful or at least trying to do so.


He nodded calmly, leaning his head slightly and upright, addressing her instead of the baby. He knew Zaiden was likely about to do something foolish, but it wasn't his place to make that call. Today, he wouldn't interfere. Not yet, anyhow. not until he was ready to see his part in this mess through. Besides, Felicity likely had something important to say. She wasn't the type for empty words, typically. He wondered what would come next....

 

[Felicity Mason]

"Is it... possible to see the dead?" she asked slowly, "Not just the ones who had a connection with the Force. The dead-dead. Just... the regular dead?"

She bit her lip, looking down at the ground. She had a good reason for asking. Ever since that incident with the neatherworld, and that portal thing, she'd started to see them. Everywhere. They seemed... drawn to her. The liked to stand over her when she was trying to sleep. They whispered to her in the darkness. They followed her. Some of them she knew. Others were strangers.
Her father had seemed to think it was impossible to see a spirit if they had no connection to the Force. But if that was true...

Then I really am crazy.

[member="Vorhi Alestrani"]

 

[Bolt]

Zaidem began reaching for the hand, yet slowed then stopped. The darkness within him could taint her last moments, or perhaps cause her pain..

..but would he let his sister perish without even holding her hand before she went? Not in any lifetime. Thus he lifted her hand as he sat near her on the bed. He stroked the fingers, trying to bring some comfort from the evil that she had long ago accepted back into her life. Could she accept him though if she truly knew what he was capable of? Would she even have him here if she knew what he had done? But she was a woman of power, and likely had heard the rumors of a man whom could hide from anyone, that had taken countless lives in many genocides...

He hoped she hadn't.

"Yes, you may ask anything of me dear sister. Do not feel responsible for the sadness. It is not you that chose this point to weaken. I blame the Force, and sickness." He murmured.

[member="Feena Mason"]

 

[Vorhi Alestrani]

[member="Felicity Mason"]


Vorhi hesitated before answering. He had seen it himself. For her to have seen it..she must have gotten far closer to death. Damn it all. He clenched his fist and sighed. "Yes," he said, seemingly a bit more ragged. He remembered the dying on Druckenwell. The millions dead. He frowned slightly. "It is a rare burden, but when one with exceptional sight comes close to a very, very large amount of the dying all at once, they may be able to see the edge between life and death," he said calmly. "It is not a pleasant experience, but it happens."


He held up a hand as if to demonstrate. "The good news is that you're not going mad. The bad news is, most people have more experience with that," he said calmly. He sighed. "Gazing upon the edge of death is a strain, but eventually, you'll learn to regain control. It's doable," he said softly, not waiting to scare the either her or her new daughter with his delivery.


"I'm going to guess this is the part where you're going to ask me to stay a while and help you learn to focus through the visions?" The oracle said wryly. "I should warn you, I tend to overcharge my students," he said with a chuckle. Smirking even when looking death in the face--how else to deal with an entire planet falling beneath you? He sighed a little. "Up to you. I can show you my methods for dealing with it, though." His smile was weak, but honest. There were a few ways to deal with it. His was mirth.

 

[Feena]

Her smile was eternal. Nothing he said or did could wipe it away now. She had to be joy when he was despair. She had to be the flickering flame in his night. She had to be laughter in his anger. It was the only way they could balance each other.
Yes. She knew what he had done. And she had forgiven him. Yes. She knew what he was capable of. And she trusted him enough not to worry about it. No matter how much hate he had, she had just as much love.

"Brother. I need you to look after them. All of them, but especially Keter."

She kept her voice low, hardly a whisper. [member="Keter"] was in the room, and she did not want him to think she worried about him. She knew her husband was a good man, no matter what he claimed. But she also knew he had... slip ups. He let his rage get the better of him at times.

[member="Razor Shot"]

 

[Felicity Mason]

She wasn't going mad! She let out a long sigh of relief. That was a greater weight off of her shoulders than anything. Her mother was dying. That was simply a reality now. She had faced it. She had accepted it. That was not under her control.
This was.

"I won't back down. I'm not afraid to work hard."

And she meant it. Her face was firmly set with determination. Her bright blue eyes focused entirely on the blind oracle in front of her. She'd seen him in her visions. She'd known they would meet again. He was the only one in this Galaxy that could teach her what she needed to know. If she failed to learn from him...
No. She had not been shown that future yet.

"[member="Owain"]," she snapped, "Take Zeldara. I need to speak to Master Alestrani."

[member="Vorhi Alestrani"]

 

[Bolt]

Zaiden was dumbstruck for a moment then chuckled, "I will do my best. Keter and I have shared around 10 words in the entirety we have known each other. So there is no promise there, but I will try. You needn't worry about your children. They all should by now know that I would die to protect them, and if they do not, they will before the evening is threw." Zaiden's face grew stern, "Even the son you never told me about!"

He contemplated telling her his plan...would she appreciate it though? He doubted it. She was the type that accepted what came to her as the will of the Force. To change that with his own goals, would likely anger her so he kept his mouth shut. He just hoped when she passed, it was not in front of all of his family. To capture and bind her while before all of them could create familial issues...

[member="Feena Mason"]

 

[Feena]

The dying healer laughed weakly.

"Ah, yes. My son..." she shook her head slightly, glancing at Keter for only a moment, "He is... a great regret of mine. Not because I had him. No. Simply because I was too weak to give him the life he deserved. Zaiden, please. I won't be there to make sure he's safe anymore. Please. Be my eyes and ears."

She was asking a lot of him. But in the end, they were blood. They shared more than a mother, father, and a birthday.

"Promise."

[member="Razor Shot"]

 

[Bolt]

Zaiden smiled down at the one that tended to be strongest of the duo, and he nodded. Placing a kiss atop her forehead he spoke, "I promise sister. But Keter then will need to be more open to me!" He said it loud enough to be heard by the other man in the room.

He had so much he yearned to say, especially in regards to time spent between the two, his nephew...but he would allow her the time she wished. With a smile he spoke again, "Is there anything else you would ask of me Feena? I want you to know that I will do my best to fulfil your wishes. You mean more than I can ever give."

[member="Feena Mason"]

 

[Feena]

The healer stared up at the ceiling for a while. Something was happening. She was on the last page. She was nearing the final paragraph. And she could, at the end of it all, sense something from her brother. Something... he didn't want her to know. But it was none of her business now. She just shook her head, squeezing his hand.

"Just live," she said, "Just live."

She looked over once more at her husband, her silent guardian in all this. He'd been here the longest, waiting for her. It was time to give him his turn.

"Zaiden? Can I have a moment alone with my husband?"

[member="Razor Shot"] [member="Keter"]

 

[Bolt]

[member="Feena Mason"]

"Of course." He murmured, squeezed her hand, then rose from the bed. With confused eyes, he stared down at Feena. She was beautiful and regal, even in her time of death...he wanted to hate that she was passing, yet he found himself happy that such a sickness would finally he over...

He turned without another word and headed for the hall where he had been. Once in the place where he had been prior to entering, he wobbled a moment: he was drunk! This was something he hadn't felt in two lives! His natural resilience had been built up, seemingly into the core of his Force Essence. So when he had changed bodies, it had traveled with him, though somehow not to this body.

To the group, once he stabilized his foundation, he said, "I believe its going to be any moment...she seems to weak to last much longer.."

[member="Celeste Mason"] [member="Felicity Mason"] [member="Vorhi Alestrani"] [member="Owain"]

 

[Keter]

He watched the last guest leave, knowing it was his turn now. He silently approached his wife, and knelt down by her side. Keter couldn't cry - his cybernetics didn't let him. He couldn't express himself, so he stayed silent as he reached out to gently hold her hand. He wouldn't have another chance. The blond said nothing, waiting for his wife to speak. He couldn't talk. This was too much for him. He was losing the best part of himself.

[member="Feena Mason"]

 

[Feena]

"Keter."

Her voice came out as little more than a whisper in the wind. Her eyes found him in the darkness slowly creeping along the edges of her vision. He was her focus now. The candle in the darkness. She smiled at him, squeezing his hand with all she had in her.

"This isn't the end. You know that. You won't be alone when I am gone. I will never leave you."

She ran her fingers across the wedding ring he wore, just barely able to still feel the smooth metal under her cold finger tips. The only thing she wanted now in this entire world was to hear his voice. Just for a moment. It was the end. Anything he had to say now was more precious than life itself. She would treasure the sound of his voice until the end of time.

[member="Keter"]

 

[Keter]

The blond hung his head, feeling the wave of grief sweep over him. He grit his teeth, bit back the pain and smiled as he looked up at his wife. Still strong, still stubborn. What could he say, here, at the end of everything?

That which never had to be said. Simple words, known to be true. Simple, and honest.

"I love you," he said soflty, leaning over to brush his lips against hers. A last kiss. For now. When his time came, he would go looking for her. Like he always did.

[member="Feena Mason"]

 

[Feena]

"I know."

This was the last kiss. She knew it. Felt a tug on her very soul at the end of it. It was almost like an impatient child tugging on her dress, Death. Couldn't wait and let her enjoy a few last moments with the man who had helped to carry her through so much.

Wait your turn, she silently scolded death, A woman doesn't die every day now, you know.

When he pulled away at last, she'd just about lost sight of him completely. That was alright. Her hand went up one more time to touch his face.

"Hold me," she pleaded weakly, "Just one more time before the end."

[member="Keter"]

 

[Keter]

"There is no end, Queen," he replied, embracing her and holding her close. "You will shine, forever. And when my turn comes, you know I'll be hunting you down again," the blond promised. Besides, they'd entered the netherworld once together already. What would another jaunt through the afterlife be for someone like him?

[member="Feena Mason"]