Kissed by Fire: Cal Kestis

Chapter 24

The only thing Cal could think as he slid down on the muddy slope was whether or not Y/n was okay. He couldn't fathom the idea that she would be injured without him there to help aid her, or BD's stims to bring her back from an injury. His heart pounded in his chest, only hoping and wishing to the Force that it would protect her like he would. Oh, if Cere knew they had separated, he didn't even want to think of the consequences that would await him should he return without her by his side.

But he didn't care about the consequences, when he thought about it. No, all that occupied his mind as he jumped from the slope, landing on a rock above a deeply disturbing swamp was that Y/n was missing and it was his fault.

BD trilled out in terror and dropped from Cal's shoulder as soon as they were back on solid ground. Beep bo-boop bee trill bzz??? he cried, pacing on his little legs.

"Yeah, I know, BD. Trust me. I'm worried too," Cal stated as he ran a hand over his head. Taking out his comm, he urgently called into it saying, "Y/n?! Y/n, are you there? Tell me where you are. I'm trying to find you."

At first he only heard static, the sound searing into his brain and his fears, before finally he heard her crackling voice say, "Ca... is tha.. can y... me?"

Cal furrowed his brows. He could barely understand a word that had come through. He hoped his comm hadn't been busted in the fight with the Nightbrothers and the undead. "Y/n?" he called back into it, hoping her voice would even out. "You cut out, I couldn't understand what you said. I can't hear you."

"... oh, fo... all that... Please... har... you! Yo... utting..."

"Y/n, please just stay put and don't move," Cal spoke as quickly as he could. BD was shivering below him in fear. He didn't like that they were split up. He didn't like it at all. "I'll try and find you. I'll see if BD can track you so we can find each other soon." Crackling was the only response he got that time. "Y/n? Y/n?!" Cal called into the comm. He brought his arms up to his head. "Damnit, " he muttered, then louder. "Damnit!!"

Bweep boo bo-boop? he heard BD ask from below, and suddenly Cal realized he wasn't alone.

"Don't worry, BD. We'll find her," Cal said, kneeling down so BD could climb back up to his shoulder. "Hopefully before that Nightsister does."

Booo... BD bowed his head.

"Hey, do you think you can get the comms working again? If it's a problem on our end, it shouldn't be too hard to fix," Cal asked the droid, who nodded. He sighed, looking around his environment for the first time since he landed. "I really hope it's on our end."

While BD-1 worked on getting the comms back up and running, Cal tried to find a way out of the swamp that didn't involve having to go past an angry nydak. Unfortunately, it was the only path that could lead up to the trails to head back to the ruins. BD had scanned the swamps they were stuck in, telling him they were the Swamp of Sacrifice. Given the name, Cal was quick find find an exit after defeating the nydak, along with the undead Nightsisters and bane-back spiders that kept creeping up on him.

Cal hoped to whoever was listening that Y/n didn't have to handle the amount of Nightisisters he was seeing. These walkers kept coming at him with more and more force and in bigger numbers than before as he climbed out of the swamp. He managed to find a small climb that allowed him to get out the sinking pit, but something pulled him to a small pile of abandoned Nightsister work. He touched it to his fingers, and the memory of a young girl calling a tall cloaked woman mother came to his mind. But she wasn't the only one.

"The Nightsisters used to call their leader Mother," he told the droid beside him. "She used powerful magick."

Bweep bo-boop trill? BD asked, glancing around the swampy cave.