Crimson Eyes ~ Sequel to: The Valkyrie, An Obi-Wan Story (completed)

Chapter 46: No time to waste

A warm draft wove through my hair, smelling of smoke and fire. It almost felt like a caress against my cheek, the touch of a lover. A stroke of velvet, sweet and gentle, like the petals of a flower. White and orange blurred my vision as ashes stuck to my lashes and my hair waved before my visage. It was completely silent as if the world had stopped existing. As if it had paused, holding in its breath, waiting for the final spark before erupting.

"J'ahna," An unknown voice whispered.

Another faint draft blew both away and revealed what was hidden. The sight before me didn't startle me like it had before. No, on the contrary, it almost felt like a movie that played before my eyes.

At first I was looking at my armoured fingers. Spread before me, they were covered with thick blood that was coloured a vibrant red. The liquid dripped down my hands, flowing along my skin and down my elbow. The pool of it in the palm of my hand reflected the clouded sky, where ashes fell down and covered the streets in a grey veil.

"J'ahna?" The voice returned but I didn't even notice the urgent tone.

No, I was focussed on something else entirely, as if caught in a trance. Almost subconsciously I started on my track towards the throne room, hands pushing open the great doors without me truly realising they were.

There, on the other end of the great hall, I spotted the dark figure huddled over the corpse. Its lifeless hand was stretched beside it, fingers reaching for the golden sword laying next to it. Blood pooled around the both of them as the ashes descended even there, turning red when they hit the ground. Destroyed columns littered the floor, debris and coloured glass scattered on the marble.

Behind them the once remarkable throne of Valeria lay in ruins.

My breath halted in my throat as my limbs froze. Those terrible wings were shielding the two of them, draped along the floor, tips bathing in the pool of blood. Its armoured fingers reached out to the corpse, almost lovingly wiping away a tear from its cheek.

"J'Ahna!" Something touched my shoulder, shaking it.

The unknown valerian looked up, their faces hidden by the shadows, the great black wings lifting behind them slowly, threatingly. The sight sent a chill up my spine until with one move they were brought forward and everything evaporated instantly.

Ground tore, time halted, thunder struck and flames enraged until all I could see was black.

"J'Ahna!"

My eyes flew right open as I jumped awake, eyes darting around the room and landing on the woman that'd led us inside while my fingers had already grasped around the lightsaber laying next to me. Behind her figure the trapdoor was opened and the daylight from upstairs seeped into the basement. Her almost golden eyes looked at me pleadingly as she spoke another few words that meant nothing to me.

"What?" I mumbled, trying to wipe the sleep from my eyes. Something groaned right next to me. My eyebrows furrowed, trying to figure out what was happening. The last thing I remembered was it being night. Obi Wan had fallen right back asleep when I'd laid him back on the table. I'd been awake for 32 hours straight and sleep had been tearing at me, but I'd denied it at each turn.

"Jedi." Her accent was evident as she pointed towards something that was right before me.

Wait. My eyes followed the tip of her finger until they landed on the figure right before me. Obi Wan. Immediately my eyes widened and my heartbeat kicked up. Gods, no, no, no! I sat upright, realising I had fallen asleep while monitoring his breathing and heartbeat.

"Obi?" I placed my hand against the side of his cheek and felt the dampness of his skin. His hair was basically matted against his face and sweat dripped down his forehead. He was searing hot. His breathing had fastened and he'd lost all colour, the little he had left from before.