Child of Balance

Doom on Dathomir

    A planet of red appeared before her. Ancient power rippled from it in a tangle of sensations. Ania narrowed her eyes as the planet drew her in. Scenes began to unfold around her, telling the planet's story. She could see its beginning, when the Nightsisters began. The Nightbrothers appeared later.

    She saw the old cyborg general cutting down sister after sister with his lightsabers. The cries of the dying and the stillness of the dead lay in his wake. She saw the arrival of a Jedi. She watched as he corrupted the Nightbrothers and stole knowledge of the magicks from the last Nightsister.

    He was there now, the Jedi they were seeking. He defeated the corrupt Jedi and left the planet, along with the Nightsister. Now it seemed that several years had passed. She watched as Maul and Ezra entered the Nightsister's temple. Kanan and Sabine appeared later.

    "Hey," a hand shook her awake. Ania blinked her eyes open. Ezra leaned over her. "We're here," he said.

    She blinked the drowsiness from her eyes and sat up. "This planet is very strange," she muttered.

    "Did you have a dream?"

    She nodded and stood up. "It wasn't a bad one really. It showed me the history of the planet, or part of it anyway." Ania followed Ezra into the cockpit. Kit and Vinn were there already. She raised an eyebrow, spying Vinn in the co-pilot's seat. "Uh uh. That's Ezra's spot." She motioned for the droid to move.

    "I find that my flying skills far outmatch his abilities," Vinn replied.

    Ania crossed her arms as she fell into her seat. "This is my ship. I make the rules. Droids aren't flying yet."

    "Your logic isn't very logical."

    "Not logic. Simply my rules. Move it, now." With a sigh, Vinn switched seats. Ezra slid into the co-pilot seat, stifling a laugh.

    They dropped out of hyperspace and Dathomir appeared beneath them. Ezra's gaze fell, taking in the planet. Ania glanced at him and laced her fingers with his. "What's with this planet anyway?" Kit asked. "I've never heard of it."

    "It's inhabited by Zabraks called the Nightbrothers. There used to be a coven of Force-sensitive witches here too. They were called the Nightsisters. They were wiped out by Separatists during the Clone Wars," she explained.

    "You've been here before, Ezra?" Kit turned towards him.

    Ezra nodded. "Once with Maul. He was an ex Sith Lord who wanted me to be his apprentice."

    Kit's eyes widened in surprise. "You guys sure have an interesting history."

    Ania turned away and laughed nervously to herself. "You don't even know the half of it." She guided the ship down into the planet's atmosphere. Her senses spread across the landscape as they flew past several massive structures. Something pulled her down. Ania followed the feeling and landed a short distance from a massive temple.

"This isn't where Maul brought me," Ezra said.

"I just have this feeling," she replied. They stepped off the ship and headed towards the Temple.

"I don't like this," Kit said. "I've got this weird feeling."

Ania ignored him and pushed on faster. The feeling in her stomach was growing stronger, pulling her towards the Temple. "I am not detecting any life forms from inside the Temple," Vinn said.

"Hey, wait up!" Ezra shouted. Ania paused and glanced back. She halted in place, eyes wide. "Did you just," Ezra furrowed his brows.

"It's a trick I learned on Mortis. I use the Force to shift the planet. I didn't know I was doing it," she replied.