Hoth: Blood and Ice

The ramp into the Nighthawk lowered as its owner returned back after a long night away... As he walked up the entryway he removed his mask and let out a long sigh.



The sound of footsteps from the inner recesses of the craft quickly tramped their way to the common area just as he arrived at the top of the ramp.



Sylvain looked passively into the eyes of his clearly angry daughter and said simply. "I'm back..."

Arymis walked forward wheeled back and punched Sylvain in the low abdomen.

Sylvain nodded, waited, and watched his daughter.

Eventually she leaned in to be embraced... still with her hands at her sides.

Sylvain lowered himself to her height and extended the embrace while she buried her head into his chest.

"It's alright... I'm safe... You're safe. I was just out making sure that is the case..."

There's a firm knock at the hatch of the ship.

Sylvain and Arymis both turned towards the sound of the knock. Sylvain closed his eyes to see what was outside... to find Luth at the entrance of his vessel.... an angry looking Luth.

"It's a friend." He said as he walked over to open the hatch and allow Luth entrance.

She stepped inside, nodding to Arymis. "I see the dressing down has already commenced. Excellent."

She stepped forward at a quick, almost military clip until she's less than an inch away from him. "Do you think if I shake you enough, it'll rattle your brain into having the sense to at least tell someone vaguely where you're going before you wander off into a blizzard?"

He tilted his head with a tired smirk, "Maybe..."

He reached out and put a hand on her shoulder, "I am sorry... I had to go..."

She took off her helmet and gave him a hard stare before glancing toward Arymis. It wasn't appropriate to ask her to step out of what was essentially her own living room, so she turned back to glare at Syl. "Was a damn text message or a vector or something so much to ask?"

“You would have wanted to come…” He replied simply.

He looked at both of them in turn. “And I could not have that…”

Sylvain motioned towards the back of the craft to Arymis. “You’ve got a potion going… Go take care of it… We’ll talk in a bit.”

Arymis looked at both of them and then gave her father a look of mild annoyance and nodded before hurrying back to her alchemy the father had interrupted.

"You could have just said no. I have that much respect for you," she replied with a sigh. "I know you can handle yourself. Just..."

Once Arymis left, she closed what little distance there was and pulled him gently down. Her lips met his lightly before she said in a quiet, insistant whisper, "Don't scare me like that again."

Sylvain froze for a moment as she pulled him down to her. It had been a while since he had shared that kind of affection with Luth... or anyone for that matter.

After her plea he nodded again, "I am truly sorry... I brought Layne with me to be safe. Something told me we both needed to be there..."

He ran his hand through her hair to more readily expose her features, "It was... a lot. I think good for both of us... but ultimately concerning and taxing."

"If you're both going in to... do whatever thing you did, is it really safe?" she shook her head, stepping back a little. If he froze... Well, maybe that wasn't a gesture welcome from her anymore. He can likely feel that bit of anxiety rise, but she pushes it down for the moment. "What happened?"

He tilted his head, "It is not... safe... There lies a vergence in the force there. A dark one..."

He let his hand rest on the back of her neck and affectionately moved his thumb along her jawline under her ear.

"I was shown a vision... Of you... but not you... The Emperor within you cutting down Baras." He paused and closed his eyes as he tried to remember what he saw.

"He told me to bow to the Dragon... I resisted... We fought... I was shown a far off world. An empire... not our own. More powerful... He told me to bow again. I refused... he left and I was racked with visions of the ones I love in pain."

She leaned in to the touch, closing her eyes as she listened. Once he finished, she opened her eyes slowly, frowning. "... That's... horrible. I'm so sorry, Syl." She looked up at him. "There's been some... talk about the possible return of the Emperor. I tried looking into it, but... I didn't get a vision, exactly, which is... unusual for me. To say the least."

He continued to caress her jawline as he looked with concern, "What happened?"

"I connected with the Force, but... I just heard a voice I didn't recognize, saying that time is not a river," she replied with a helpless shrug. "I wish I had more to give you. Seems... a little pointless. I was going to meditate today, see if I can find something more."

Sylvain repeated the words softly, "Time is not a river..."

He shook his head, "I do not understand... Perhaps we can... work together..."

She leaned her head forward, on his shoulder. "It's right, of course. It isn't... Even with foresight, people see a possibility and think it's fate. But it's hard to see how vast it is until it tries to swallow you."

She nodded a little. "I'd like to work together."

He wrapped his arm behind her head to hold her close into his chest.

"Just like on Jereth IV... Following the vergence... We make quite the team when we need to."

"Yes... That we do," She reached out and found his free hand, squeezing it. "I missed you."

"And I... you... Luth." He held her closely to his chest. His heart beating strongly as he savored the smell of her hair.

"There are times I wish we had never come back... But now... despite everything our paths entwine again... You've done what you set out to do. You've protected the ones you love. And now... we can combat this new challenge together." He replied with an earnest tenor in his voice.

She lifted her head, looking up at him with a smile. "I did. They were in danger because of me... but... everyone I was worried about is in a strong position now and their enemy is lesser, as well, in terms of reach."

She gives a small laugh, a little expression of unexpected joy at her epiphany. "I'm... finally ready to start my own life. To break free, I think. I don't even know what to do with it yet. I don't know if I'm ready to until I decide that. But let's start by working together."

"There's no better place to be... than together." He said with a smile.

"Shall we meditate?"

She stepped back and nodded. "Yes... Let's." Something in her felt... free. Lighter. Like something had finally released. A decision made, or a weight off her entire soul. The burning that was always under her emotions cooled a little.

"Very well... Let us begin." Sylvain replied as he dimmed the lighting in the common room.

He replaced his mask and found a position on the floor facing Luth.

Luth settled down across from him, closing her eyes. She breathed deep, letting go of everything before.

Sylvain similarly opened himself to the Force...

Focusing his mind on that recurring phrase...

One's Legacy... One's Legacy...


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D2 EA Meditation: 5eF 5 Light Side, 2 Dark Side