The Art of Chaos and Darkness

Chapter Fourteen

When Valda awoke, she became aware of two things.

First: she was laying in a bed and second: her side burned like hell. She eased out a breath feeling the pain slowly radiate. Harsh but bearable. She swallowed, her mouth was like cotton, and attempted to sit up.

"Easy, easy." The Mandalorian seemed to have appeared from no where.

Valda jerked back and winced, shooting pain lancing up her side. All at once the memories filled her mind, the duel, the rock-fall intended to kill The Mandalorian and her desperate gamble to heal him. Valda blew out a breath and he held out a cup filled with water. She took a sip and cradling it in her hands, glanced around. She realized she was in his quarters, in his bed. She was still clothes but panic instantly sharpened her senses and she snapped her gaze to him.

He took a step back, holding up his hands. "Relax, I would never... I promise I didn't do anything to you. Your body temperature was too low so I had to bring you in here." He paused, head cocking to the side. "How... how can I feel you?" He shook his head. "No, not feel... more like sense you?"

Valda took another sip of water. "A side effect of healing you."

"Y-you healed me?" His hand pressed to his side again.

"Yes. You would have died from your wounds."

"How? How is that possible?"

Valda tightened her grip on the cup. "Force-healing. It's a difficult ability. In healing someone I take on their illness or wounds. In your case, this-" she gestured to her side. "It won't kill me but my body was already drained. So I was having difficulty healing myself. It was also a fatal wound. Those take much more power to heal and will often develop a connection between the healer and the wounded."

"A connection?" He crossed his arms. "What does that mean?"

"It's why you can sense me. It's the strongest now because the healing took place recently and we are in close proximity. You will be able to sense very strong emotions or feelings."

"Like pain?" He pressed his hand to the side of his Beskar.

"Yes. And I can feel yours as well. The connection will weaken with time and distance but never truly disappear. It just fades into the background. Most never notice it."

"But we're connected... forever?"

She gave a shrug and then grimaced at the pain. "In a sense, yes. If you focus enough you should be able to visualize the bond, like a tether or rope between us."

He fell quiet and she could sense he was grappling with this concept in his mind. Finally he addressed her again. "Why did you save me? You had a perfect shot at freedom."

Valda stared at him, at her own reflection in the metal of his helmet. Then she looked down to her lap. "I don't know."

"There were so many times where.... even now, you could kill me without getting up from that bed. Without a weapon or moving a muscle." He trailed off letting the sentence hang in the silence.

Despite herself, Valda let out a hoarse laugh. "Not quite. It still takes strength and a lot of mental focus for that. I most likely wouldn't be able to do so if I tried."

His shoulders dropped just the slightest bit but she marked the movement. Neither of them trusted the other still.

"Is it true- what that other... Sith said?" The Mandalorian folded his arms looking at Valda.

She knew this had been coming. "Yes. It is true."

"Why the hell did you lie to me?"

She glanced up at him. "What did it matter? I didn't know why you wanted the answers. Our existence is supposed to be hidden. I didn't think any of this would happen, that the New Order would actually send an assassin after me."

"But aren't you all Sith?"

"Yes, in a sense. But the New Order Sith have strayed from the traditional ways and sided with the Empire."

"And you are..."

"The Ancient Order Sith."

"The Chaosbringer... whatever that means."

She allowed a small smile. "It just means I am the right-hand to the King."

"The King of the Sith."

"Yes."

The Mandalorian shook his head. "And I thought I knew the galaxy we lived in. After the Battle of Yavin... we were told the Empire was no more. That it was gone. But... I guess I knew it wasn't true before even meeting you."

And all at once, whether he meant it or not, Valda felt the strong surge of emotion within. Anger coupled with glimpses of an imperial cruiser. Doubt and fear. An overwhelming sense of sadness and loneliness as she saw through the Mandalorian's eyes and into the small, green skinned face of a child. His bond with the strange being was strong, overwhelmingly so. She felt his sadness as if it were her own.

A lightsaber flashed in her mind, green crystal shattering through droids. She jerked away from that power... the stinging of the Lightside. Jedi. The lightsaber then morphed from green to a glowing black blade, shorter than the average weapon but no less deadly.

The Dark Saber. This Mandalorian had it.

Instantly Valda shoved herself from his mind, slamming down on this new connection between them. "You need to learn to control it."

His helmet cocked to the side. "Control what?"

"Your emotions." She gritted her teeth. "Everything you just shoved down the line and into my head."

He leaned back in the chair. "I could say the same of you."

Valda jerked her gaze to him. "What are you talking about."

For the first time she sensed his unease. He looked away from her. "When I was asleep it was like I was in your mind. Your dreams... these memories. They are not mine."

"Before I woke up?"

"Yes."

Valda chewed the inside of her lip, debating if she wanted to ask what he'd seen in her mind. Her nightmares. He spoke again before she could.

"I'm sorry... for what they did to you."

Valda turned the full brunt of her gaze on him. "Save your pity for someone who cares. I'm more interested to talk about how you are the rightful ruler of Mandalore. And the Jedi you know."