Mistaken: Chapter Ten
Eternally exhausted without a moment of rest or peace seemed to be my new reality. Although I didn't believe what was happening to me was actually real, I was powerless to stop it. The maddening cycle kept spinning round to its foregone conclusion, pushing me incrementally toward insanity.
I had stopped counting the revolutions of this nightmare long ago. There was no point to it. However, this time around, something was different. As I reminded a legless and burning Anakin of how much I had loved him as a brother even though all he held for me was utter contempt, I heard voices. Not the voice of Padmé which always accompanied this horror, but a choir of women's voices. They weren't singing, exactly. It was more like a chant. Rhythmically spoken words in a language I didn't recognize.
And just like that, the illusion ceased and I awakened upon the cold tiled flooring inside the building, too tired to rise or speak. Whatever had just happened to me had not only occurred mentally but had affected me physically as well. I was drenched in sweat and my body shook to ward off the chill of the Korriban night.
When a slight weight softly landed upon my left, outstretched arm, at first I was unsure of what it could possibly be. I struggled to rotate my head in that direction to witness a beautiful sight. Padmé was here and was lying next to me with her head resting on my arm. She looked as weak as I felt but managed a small smile.
"I'm okay," she whispered softly. "We're both okay."
Without even asking, I knew she was speaking of her and our child. It was wonderful news, but if this was another trick or was part of the hallucination, it was too much to bear. I could no longer handle such an upheaval of my emotional state. With concentrated effort, I lifted my hand to touch her face, just to make sure she was really here. Only when I felt the warmth of her face would I believe it.
Indeed, and to my great relief, my hand made contact, although her skin was chilled like mine.
"What's that noise?" she asked hoarsely.
I was wondering about that myself. The cadenced mantra I had heard in my dream was not only continuing but growing in intensity. Whoever was responsible for it was close by. If only I could lift my head to see.
The desire had only just formed in my mind when a wave of subtle power swept over me and I felt myself being lifted. I reached for Padmé, though there was no need. She too was being carried to safety. Carefully, we were propped up against a pillar nearby, where finally we could see what was happening.
On the opposite side of the room was Master Yoda, whose concentration was focused entirely upon us. He was the one who had saved us, who had delivered Padmé to my side, who was protecting us still. Encircling us was a blue glow of Force power being cast by Yoda himself.
Further away and deep within the shadows of the room was a group of women, pale-skinned and clan-marked. They were gathered in a circle with our tormentor kneeling before them. All together they chanted some sort of spell, which was causing the witch to writhe and clench her fists in rage. Padmé jumped in fright when she shrieked in pain just before collapsing forward onto the floor. Only then did the chanting cease and a wisp of red smoke rose from her body and lifted toward the ceiling. It dissipated at that point and was no longer visible.
Soft words were spoken between the gathered clan before one of their members stepped toward us. Our protection ceased, and I managed to lift myself, as well as Padmé up from the floor. My legs were as weak as water, but I was determined to stand and face whoever had come to our rescue.
"I am Mother Talzin of the Singing Mountain," she spoke in low tones. "My sisters and I have come to your aid, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You have Master Yoda to thank for this, although we have often wondered what had become of Cassia. Her banishment was many moons ago and was in effect after she began seeking out retribution for her sister's betrayal and suicide. She believed you were the Jedi responsible for Gaia's death."
"Me?" I uttered in disbelief. "I've never met Cassia before all this started. I've never even been to Dathomir."
"Cassia was convinced it was you and often spoke of the Student of Jinn, how he had used her sister, and then abandoned her to bear his child alone."
I reached far back in my memory. Master Qui-Gon had told me stories of the Dathomir witches and how he and his first padawan had been assigned there once to look for evidence of a Sith Holocron. But all that occurred before my time.
"It wasn't me," I informed the Nightsister earnestly. "Master Jinn had another student before he trained me. A young man by the name of Xanatos came to your home in search of remnants of the Sith. Perhaps he was the one who hurt Gaia."
Coal-black eyes scanned me. Talzin was weighing my words and seeking the truth. I had delivered everything I knew as honestly as I could. She simply had to believe me!
Another woman with similar white skin and markings stepped up to the Nightsister leader and whispered into her ear. Whatever had been shared seemed to relax the elder and she drew back her red hood to reveal a bare scalp, one which was covered in the designs of the Singing Mountain Clan.
"The scar. The three-quarter circle," she explained. "You do not bear it. My sister has reminded me of its evidence. You speak the truth, Kenobi. I am sorry for your trouble."
That was it? Was it finally over?
"Wait." Padmé suddenly spoke out, standing as tall as her shaking limbs would allow while leaning heavily against me for support. "Is she…dead?"
Mother Talzin glanced behind her at the lifeless heap upon the floor. So much talent but used for what? Revenge? What a waste.
"Her power has been taken and her spirit no longer resides in this world."
"What's to become of her?"
Leave it up to Padmé to show empathy to someone as ruthless and dangerous as this witch was. My wife was a far better human being than I ever could be.
"We will take her body back to Dathomir and perform the death ritual. Do not worry, she will no longer bother you."