Time: Between the Destruction of Alderaan and the Battle of Endor
Place: Unknown
The last thing I remember was going to sleep, but what I faced now was not Darkness' sweet cradle. This was not a dream, it was not something my mind could conjure up. All around me was a white fog, but it shifted colors constantly. Different places danced around me as though they were ghosts; quick to appear but vanished in a second to make way for another. The silence was all consuming; a constant pressure against my eardrums.
Suddenly, there was a large pressure around my Heart, a suffocating Presence that overwhelmed my senses, as if a fog had been placed around my head. I could not see. I could not smell. I could not hear. Even my sense of balance was compromised: I did not know if I was standing on the floor or the ceiling, or if I was standing at all. I took in great gulps of breath to focus myself, for I knew this Presence from before.
"I guess this answers the question about whether or not I will feel this way every time we talk. I had hoped that it would not be the case," the Presence warmed a bit. "Are you here to tell me what I am doing here in Your galaxy?"
"Wildfire that Burns the World, Daughter of Elania: The Sun and Keyblade Master Eraqus, Mother of Kasai: Lady Lava, Mate of Terra: Father of Earth, and self-proclaimed Guardian of Anakin Skywalker: The Chosen One. It has been too long" the Presence said.
My Heart warmed with the Presence. "Indeed, Force of the Universe. What is the reason for this long overdue visit? Are you finally going to divulge your secrets?"
The Force laughed, "Wildfire that Burns the Earth, you are more special than you know. It is rare that a being from one Universe is adopted by another, but I have had my eye on you since the Beginning."
"Care to be more specific? You never were very good at giving clear answers. A habit your followers inherited, I'm afraid." I carefully laid down and wrapped my tail around me.
The scenery around me changed as the Force briefly left the vicinity of my Heart. As the fog in my eyes cleared, the vast night sky twinkled into existence. Familiar, yet alien, constellations brought tears to my eyes as worlds from my past blinked in and out of focus. My Heart felt heavy, and the dreaded feeling of drowning overcame me accompanied by the wildfire of emotions tied to my previous life.
The stars all floated together and came together with an explosion of light. A mighty continent stood in their place. It was barren, with four pillars atop the highest mountaintop.
Home. "You've been watching me since the Blessing of Kingdom Hearts?" I whispered. I watched as a massive heart-shaped moon shone light over all four pillars. Immediately the ground became lush with greenery, water flowed to the great basins, winds blew all through the valleys, and after a short time, wildfires shone across the plains.
The Force once again entered my Heart, "I remember the time Kingdom Hearts came to me to tell me all about its newest creations. At the time, I was busy shaping the many star systems and planets of the Core. She was so proud that she often broke off her explanation of your abilities just to stare out at the living system you four maintained. And well, years pass in the blink of an eye to us universes that by the time my neighbor was done talking, thousands of years had passed. I was young at the time and I had important things to tend to in my own universe. And over time, I forgot about you, Fire Child. It was not until epochs later during the time of the Old Republic, that I remembered you. In my growing age, I had mellowed out, and I was more receptive of my Time. All universes have access to their Times: Past, Present, and Future. And in my Future I saw a small boy born of no father. My son. I saw his life, his suffering, and his Fall. And I wept. For you see Fire Child, we universes are not impervious to the pain our charges feel. And I could not sit back and let my son Fall to his doom. And so, I sought out a being that could protect my son. And my thoughts returned to Kingdom Hearts. I returned to her universe and asked for the memories of the lives of The Four that she had shown me so many moons ago. Upon asking "why" I shared with her my fears. With a knowing smile, she told me that I should not worry, that she had the perfect individual for the task. There were only a few requests that she asked for. I had to change this Heart's appearance in some way, I could not let her die, and I had to bring in others of her kind later on. I agreed, and two years before my son's birth, I set you down on the sands of Tatooine to begin life a second time."
I remained silent for a few minutes processing everything the Force had told me. "You brought me here in an attempt to save your son?!" I cried, chocking on the last few words. Sorrow weighed on my Heart as I remembered the last few seconds I saw Anakin. The Force was quick to console erratic heartbeat. A soothing feeling spread from my chest throughout my body. When I had calmed some, the Force spoke again.
"My followers do not understand everything about Balance. You do. I watched your life when Kingdom Hearts offered me your life. Your knowledge. And I knew you were the one who could save my son. You who knew of the balance of Light and Dark, right and wrong." He must have sensed my doubt, for what he said next shocked me. "Fire is not Light. It is not Darkness. It is both, the purest element made from the union of the Light and the Dark. Like the Light I guide your path, defend you from your enemies, but like the Dark, I destroy everything I touch. I can be your best friend, or your greatest enemy. I am the stalwart Light in the Darkness, the Flame that guides you home. I am the one that burns your home and flesh and returns you to the ground." I bowed my head, the Eternal Flame cradled in my antlers bobbed up and down with the movement. The Force definitely knew me, but there was a problem.
"Force, I failed. I couldn't save your son. I made the same mistake that I made with Terra. I didn't realize how deep Palpatine had had wormed his way into Anakin's Heart. And by the time I did, it was too late." Tears formed as I remembered what life with Anakin had been like before the Jedi Order. How, as a 5-year-old, he had braved the caves filled with Krayt Dragons just to find out if I had survived the 5th annual Hutt Rare Game Festival, and when he was seven he and Watto entered him in his first Pod Race. Anakin hadn't won, but I was relieved to see him cross the finish line safely from my post high above the finish line.
It was amazing how much he had changed- once upon a time he reminded me of Ven with his relentless drive to help people with no expectation of recompense. Yet as he grew I saw more and more Terra in him, and it became harder to stay in the present. With every small quip and complaint of the Jedi Order I was reminded of Master Eraqus, my mentor, my father, and all of the similarities this Order had with his teachings. Oftentimes I would find myself confused when I entered the temple after an extended stay away, for many times I would see Master Eraqus instead of Obi-Wan, or the King instead of Grandmaster Yoda. It was just another reminder that I had moved on but hadn't left my old home behind me.
A crushing weight had settled into my chest, settling around my Heart, choking it, constricting it. With a sudden clarity that could only mean the Force had left my Heart, I saw a field of flame all around me. My tears had ignited, the flames following the wet trails down my cheeks to meet their brethren at my hooves. And yet, through all the suffocating emotions, the Force did not reprimand me for drifting closer to the Dark, as his followers would have done. Instead, he gave me space, and floated to the edge of the clearing of Memories. I was shocked when the Force coalesced and took the form of a robed Man. What startled me was how much he resembled Anakin, but from a different view, he looked almost like Terra. His voice, much softer now that he was not within me, was meant to placate me as he strode closer.
"I knew there was a chance that you might not succeed. But even now you have hope that he can be redeemed. Sora has inspired you. I too, have hope that my son will return to the Light. Pieces have been put in place, so that even if you did fail to keep Anakin in the Light, there is another way. However, your knowledge of the Balance of the Light and Dark is not the only reason I asked Kingdom Hearts for you. In case of my son's Descent to Darkness I knew I would need your powers to help bring balance back to the Physical Force." The Force sat down at my side, as if he was preparing to meditate.
That was something I had not heard of before. "Physical Force? What is that? I've only heard of the Living and the Cosmic Force."
"The Physical Force contains part of both Living and the Cosmic Force. It is the Force that makes up the spatial bodies in the galaxy. All planets, moons, asteroids, comets, suns, and meteors make up the Physical Force, along with all of the living beings that call them home."
"So, there are too many living beings and that is why you called me here? To exterminate people by the thousands in Hellfire?! To do exactly what you son did but leave the planet intact!?" The Force smiled sadly at me, and in the depths of his eyes I saw something else. "No, you don't need me to do what the Empire has already done. You need me to undo it somehow. With the destruction of Alderaan, the amount of living beings was disrupted, so you need someone to get them back. Am I warm?" I tilted my head in question.
The Force looked pleased, "On fire, Wildfire, as usual." He laughed at his own joke.
I smiled and shook my head, but I was still confused, "You need me to bring back the dead? Make a planet? Forgive me Force, but I am not able to do any of those things. Necromancy was not a gift Kingdom Hearts gave to any of the Four. And only the Father of Earth himself would be powerful enough to try to make a planet. In all of the years that my kin existed, we never had to make a new planet."
The Force sighed, and for a moment I saw how old he truly was, "Alderaan was not meant to be destroyed so soon. All of its remains lay scattered in the system, and they must be returned to their original form." The Force turned and looked me dead in the eyes. The intensity burned its way through me like ice. "Wildfire, with the future I see, Alderaan's fate will be shared. It is too soon for any of the systems in the greater galaxy to be destroyed. That is why I need you."
"I don't understand. I am the Goddess of Fire, She Who Burns the World. I was made to destroy so that the Others could create anew. I am not the one who can restore Alderaan."
"Watching your memories has shown me much, and they have told me of the way The Four split their powers and gave life to new Celestials. I took the liberty of asking Kingdom Hearts for more of your kind to assist you in restoring order and balance to my galaxy." The Force smiled at me; a genuine, bittersweet smile that spoke of eons of hardships and heartbreak, and the strength to endure through it all.
The small candle light of hope blazed to life inside my Heart, "Does this mean that I will see-" I couldn't continue past the lump in my throat. After all these years in an alien universe would I be able to see my family again?
My companion stood and gestured around us. As he spoke, images of places familiar and unknown appeared and vanished in the Cosmos, "Some you have already met. Others you will have to seek out. Look to the bones of the dead celestials to find your Heart's Desire, and to the Storm of the Twin Suns to find your Goddess that the Chosen One hates most. To the Sea of Glass, you will find the Sandstone, and in the Center where the metal encases the whole, look to the plants that imprison the Wind. At the Beginning you will find where the River Runs, and at the End you will find the Madame that scarred my son. When you find these old friends, I will tell you more. Farewell, She Who Burns the World." The Cosmos around us started to fade to the Darkness of Sleep. No, this couldn't be happening.
"Wait! Why can't you answer me plainly for once? Is that too much to ask for?"
The Force of the Universe faded into the Darkness, "Go and find your kin. But beware Fire Child, of the Unknown Regions, for spite lingers in its Sea."
It couldn't end this way, "Wait! Please don't leave me alone again." Silence answered me. The Darkness swallowed me on all sides, "Force, please! Just tell me I'll see my family again! Please!" I heard a voice call out from the black.
"Terra!" I woke with a start, my chest heaving. Tears ran down my cheeks, burning the ground around me. I looked around, slowing assessing my surroundings. I was safe in the Lake Lands of Naboo, living in Padme's family lake house where she and Anakin had gotten married. At the moment, it was just me, but servants loyal to the Naberrie family came by once a week to clean the estate. Once I had ascertained the safety of my surroundings, I stood and plodded over to the balcony overlooking the lake. I was alone. Again. I gazed into the early morning sky, still dotted with stars. Not for the first time I cried out to the heavens all of my pain and sorrow. Force be damned, I was tired. I was exhausted from constantly blocking Darth Sidious from my Heart, no matter what he tried to trick me with. How I wished for my family again. Then I remembered the voice from my dream. "Strength of Heart will carry you through the hardest of trials." Through all my pain I managed a smile. I looked down at the mirror surface of the lake. Suddenly, I was looking at Terra, dirt brown hair and eyes blessed by the sky. My earlier heartache lessened as I remembered all the times he would say that. And he was right. I had lived through Terra's Fall, and I could live through Anakin's too. I had survived for ten years in the Realm of Darkness without my body. If I could do that, I could certainly keep Darth Sidious from poisoning my Heart. And if the Force had another lined up to turn Ani back, then I could follow his riddles and find my kin. Even if I never saw my daughter or mate again, I could remember all the good times we had, which will forever be engraved in my Heart. I returned to my makeshift bed in the parlor and gathered my wits. Then I started mapping out what planets had which herd members according to the riddle. According to the Force, the Sultan of Sandstorms, whom most called Sandy, was located on Tatooine. I would start there. No doubt that the more herd members I got together the easier it will be for Sidious to find us. But we have an advantage: Darth Sidious has no idea what power he is up against, and I will see to it that he dies screaming.