When Anakin saw Master Vokara Che sprint into Iella's room, a shard of anxiety stabbed his heart. He instantly stood up from the chair where he had been typing a mandatory report on a datapad. It clattered to the floor which a sharp tick but Anakin didn't hear it over the deafening drumbeat of his heart that was filling his ears. He followed Che quickly into the room and almost wished he hadn't. The glaring noises of the alarms was ringing in the small room. His troubled eyes glanced to the heart rate monitor and saw only a single line. It was completely flat. The healers were rushing in and out of the room. After what seemed like only seconds but must have been minutes, the healers stepped back from the table, panting and defeated. The heart rate monitor was still producing the singular monotone sound that was burning itself into Anakin's heart and mind. I'll never forget that sound.
"We did all we can. She's with the Force now." Che whispered morosely to the assembled, reticent healers.
Master Vokara Che turned around and was shocked to find Anakin standing in the corner of the room. She had been unaware that he had entered and she could tell by the white pallor of his face, the crumpled condition of his normally noble body, and the overwhelming heartbreak in his eyes that he had been there the whole time. He kept his eyes trained forward, looking blankly at his Padawan. Master Vokara Che reached forward to comfort him but before she could the defeated eyes of Anakin Skywalker shifted towards her, a layer of distressed moisture forming under their painful rims. He blinked and a single hopeless tear curved down his face, making a streak of crestfallen gleam tracing down his cheekbones. And in a rush of emotions: anger, sorrow, frustration, guilt, and loss, Anakin Skywalker ran out of the room leaving a lingering current of air as his cloak trailed behind him.
Anakin ran and ran. He ran through the long hallways of the temple. He ran past rows of initiates quickly ushered out of the way of the raging Jedi Master. Other knights and their Padawans sent concerned and curious glances his way, everybody knew what had happened on Ostriea but not this development. There was some disturbance in the usually peaceful atmosphere in the Temple so they could tell something had changed. Anakin was too blinded by grief to care about their glances. Too many thoughts rushing through his head were blocking out the rest of the world. No… Too soon… Too young… No no no… Not gone… He ran for the one place he knew that he could escape. He ran out of the last archway into the lush, roaring garden that was the Room of a Thousand Fountains. Obi-Wan had shown him this place when he had first become his Master. Anakin and Obi-Wan used to spend hours meditating in the room. But the vivid memories were far away and out of reach this time. He collapsed to the ground breathless and sat down in the thick, soft grass. He forced himself to sit in meditation, and for the first time since returning to Coruscant, he felt overcome with peace. That was the wonderful property of this place, it could take the roughest, most bruised and scarred heart and soothe over the wounds like bacta over a burn. It washed away all thoughts of sorrow and pain in the sound of the roaring falls.
Obi-Wan knew what had happened right away. He had been striding down the corridors towards the Medi-Centre when he was struck with a deep-rooted pain that swept through the Force in the temple like a blaze. He stumbled and fell against the wall, sliding to the ground and rubbing his throbbing head, trying to clear his eyes. A group of younglings with their Master undoubtedly going to classes, noticed Obi-Wan crouched against the wall. The master rushed over to help Obi-Wan, the younglings looking concerned a few paces away. The master helped him stand upright and Obi-Wan thanked him and continued on his way. The master turned back and ushered his younglings away from Master Kenobi. The rest of the walk was rushed, quiet, and laced with pain, despair, and torment. Vokara Che ran up to Obi-Wan when she saw him enter the Healer's wing.
"Padawan Kestal's heart stopped, there was nothing we could do. Master Skywalker ran out of the wing and nobody has been able to reach him."
"Yes, I know Master Che. And I have a good idea where he went. I just came from speaking with Master Yoda, he believes there is a way to save Padawan Kestal. I will find Anakin and bring him here, you wait for Master Yoda to arrive."
Vokara Che, bowed in understanding and turned to return to her duties. Once more, Obi-Wan took off running down the hallways because there was one place, one memory lingering in his mind. He knew where Anakin had gone because that's where Obi-Wan would have gone, his soft boots padding down the halls as he ran.
The Force felt…different. It was warm and vibrant, blossoming with vitality and life. Reminds me of Iella, Anakin thought to himself. Then it hit him like Yoda's gimbal stick connecting with his shins, hard and fast. He recoiled as a fresh wave of emotion surged and was calmed by the sound of the fountains. The Force was vibrant like Iella because that's where she was now. She was at peace after a life of turmoil. It was warm with a new soul. His Padawan and the Force were one. He fought to keep his emotions in line, and partially managed this time. I've done far too much crying today. She wouldn't want that. He continued to feel the Force, enveloping him, comforting him. But a small thread was tugging at his mind. Go away, I'm comfortable here. I don't want to leave. But the thread wouldn't leave. It pulled stronger until there was no way to ignore it. Anakin opened his eyes to find the sky-blue eyes of Master Obi-Wan Kenobi watching him.
"So you really do listen to me. Hmm, I wonder why that never worked when you were an apprentice. Listen, I spoke to Master Yoda and he is convinced he has found a solution. We must get to the Medi-Centre at once."
Anakin's head shot up at this. In a moment, he had unfolded his soaring frame from the grass and was standing at attention. And once again, they ran. Obi-Wan made a mental note to stop running so much. It really is exhausting.
When they arrived, Master Yoda had not entered yet so they waited in silence until the door slid open to reveal an panting Padawan with the small green Jedi Master on his back. The Padawan had obviously had been asked by Yoda to rush him to the Medi-Centre and the apprentice, not being able to deny the head of the Jedi Council, had to comply. The small green Jedi had in his long spindly green hands, a glowing open Holocron. The aquamarine panels of glass were brightly swirling with shades of azure, beryl, and indigo.
The Padawan set the Grand Master down before bowing deeply and dashing back to his duties. The door hissed shut echoing in the tense silence. They all watched as the small Jedi walked over to the bed where a white sheet covered Iella's lifeless body before its preparation for the pyre. He uncovered her head, neck and shoulders from the sheet before moving to sit on a stool and beckoning Anakin to stand opposite of him. Anakin picked up her cooling hand and squeezed it tight in an attempt to keep his tears from spilling. Yoda opened the holocron and in a luminous flare, it revealed a single ring.
It was a stunning piece of aureate and silvered metal. The pieces twisted together like the trunks of the massive trees on Endor. The balance of the metal was equal, each one with the same amount as the other. Using the Force, Yoda carefully lifted the ring making sure not to touch it, and placed it on Iella's middle finger. The ring lit up in a blinding, garish light causing Obi-Wan to cover his eyes with his hand. Bright orange and coral swirls of colour branched up the right side of Iella's face to twist with the dark indigo streaks. They curled and tangled with the darkness, equaling them out. Her once yellow eye was slowly fading to its granite grey. When it subsided, Iella still lay lifeless on the table. Anakin's head dropped to his chest, once more defeated. The room was silent once more.
Then in a sudden, violent action, Iella took one gasping breath and began convulsing with coughs. Anakin whipped his head up at this action as Obi-Wan released the breath he didn't know he had been holding. Yoda climbed down the stool and walked out of the room without saying a further word. Anakin helped Iella sit up and hugged her tightly. His Padawan had returned, and with her, the Force, the Bond, and his peace of mind.