Star Wars: Tears of Fire (Book II)

Chapter 10 - The Elder

His first few steps were slow and cautious. Having lost all sense of time regarding how long he'd been laying in one spot after receiving his injuries, Jolis was now focused on simply placing one foot in front of the other. His weary muscles felt asleep but with each step he took, he felt the blood within his body circulating down into his legs and restoring his movement.

His wounded leg was all but healed save the large scar that remained, one which he would undoubtedly carry for the rest of his life.

The stone floor beneath him was solid rock as he'd come to learn that he was still within the very mountain he'd somehow entered.

Using the shoulder of the mysterious person who'd yet to offer his name, Jolis was soon able to feel the muscles in his leg slowly regain the strength they needed to move on his own power—albeit while also wearing a bandage over his eyes.

However, Jolis felt the presence of another nearby. One who hadn't spoken up just yet.

After several moments, Jolis was able to walk in a slow but unassisted manner. However, there was one matter Jolis was yet to deal with.

Placing his hand upon a wall of solid rock next to him, he leaned his weight over and rested. With his other hand, he reached up and gently placed his fingers on the bandage over his eyes.

"I would like to know how bad it is," said Jolis. "I can see figments of light moving about but if this is to be how I will spend the rest of my days, I would just as soon like to get on with it instead of lingering about."

There was a noticeable silence, almost as if the decision was being contemplated by the two individuals Jolis sensed around him.

"Tagi?" said the voice Jolis had become familiar with.

The other which Jolis sensed approached.

With the poison that was clouding his mind now gone from his body, Jolis was learning to use the Force in an effort to better sense his surroundings. Although unable to see him, Jolis could sense the one referred to as Tagi as he approached.

"I will remove your bandage," replied Tagi, his voice sounding slightly younger than that of the other man he'd been speaking to. "The liquid upon the bandage has restorative properties but would have ran its course by now. There's little else we will be able to do from here."

Jolis felt Tagi's hands upon the back of his head. Untying the bandage, it was slowly removed as Jolis felt the filmy liquid separate from his eyes.

"What do you see?" asked Tagi.

Jolis slowly opened his eyes...and immediately wept.

"I see...wandering shapes and shades of light," Jolis uttered behind his tears. "I had hoped it would've been better than this but if this is to be my fate..."

Feeling a hand upon his shoulder, the familiar voice spoke to console him.

"We're very sorry, Jolis. We did everything we could. The venom from the beast is very powerful. Although we are skilled in the arts of healing, there's only so much we can do given our current resources."

Jolis then began waving his own hand in front of himself to see if he could even perceive it. He felt even more dismayed when he noticed that he was unable to.

The sadness within him mounted and part of him felt like simply giving up. If not for the constant calling Jolis had felt in his heart, he would've been inclined to do so.

It was something. Somewhere close. It called to him with purpose, as if it were the very reason he'd been led to this place.

Even so, it also felt distant. Like an echo shouted from within a dark cave, it seemed to be coming from everywhere and nowhere at the same time.