Things seemed to almost be going better for a while. The rain stopped, and although the troublesome clouds remained, the rain held off for a good deal of the night. Obi-Wan was showing no outward effects from the venom other than fatigue. Mentally, though, he was having trouble holding himself together. The only reason that the stronger effects of the poison had not yet kicked in was because he was using all of his Force energies to fight it.
Obi-Wan's silence was worrying Anakin. His Master's face was lined with a pained concentration and he hadn't spoken two words in the past hour. "Obi-Wan?" he carefully ventured.
The Jedi blinked his eyes and turned his head up to focus on the Padawan. The normally quick and strong blue eyes were now cloudy, his eyelids drooping with fatigue.
"Master, you need to rest."
"The village, Ani. We need . . ." he paused to swallow more air. "We need to reach the village." His voice was startlingly hoarse.
"Yes, Master, but killing yourself to reach it won't do either of us any good."
Anakin eased him to the ground and helped him lean against a large boulder. Obi-Wan sighed and closed his eyes as Anakin pawed through the knapsack looking for food and water.
"Would you like some food Obi . . . Obi-Wan!"
The Jedi Knight was doubled over and clutching his stomach, his whole body quivering violently. Anakin dropped the sack and rushed over to him. Obi-Wan's eyes were squeezed shut and his mouth was open as he gasped in alarm. Anakin grabbed onto his uninjured arm in an attempt to steady the trembling body.
The shields that Obi-Wan had erected to hold back the pain had broken and it all came rushing towards him at once. He was on the verge of blacking out when he felt Anakin's presence.
Let me help you, Master.
Before Obi-Wan could protest, he felt Anakin feeding him strength through their Force connection. Gradually, his trembling ceased to an occasional shiver and he found himself able to breath once again. He opened his eyes to look at Anakin and was startled at the sudden lack of color in the young man's face. Did I hurt him? he immediately wondered.
"How could you hold all that back for so long?" Anakin asked, shocked by the pain that was radiating from his Master's body.
Obi-Wan drew in a shaky breath. "Barely, Anakin," was the reply that croaked out. "Just barely." Obi-Wan's skin had turned a sickly gray color and his teeth were chattering. "Are you alright?" he continued, worried about the wide-eyed look on Anakin's face.
"I'm fine," Anakin lied. The only way that he had been able to help Obi-Wan deal with the venom was by channeling some of the pain into his own body. It had caught him completely off guard. He had been prepared for simple stomach cramps. Instead he had found himself struggling to breath while every muscle screamed out in pain and his skin told him that he might as well be on Hoth. His vision had started to swim, but as soon as he let go of Obi-Wan, his body reverted to normal. However, his hand was still trembling as he reached out to touch Obi-Wan's forehead. The heat that he felt under his touch did nothing to soothe his worries.
Obi-Wan continued to shiver as the wind began picking up again. "Well," he said, offering a weak smile, "at least it's not raining." The clouds must have heard him, because a sudden crash of thunder made Anakin jump. Within seconds, the rain had started in. Obi-Wan groaned.
"Master, you're getting worse," Anakin stated the obvious as he shrugged off his cloak and draped it over Obi-Wan's shoulders.
"So I noticed," came the whispered response. Obi-Wan didn't tell Anakin that the fever was not a good sign. The small description he had read about venomous tigras said that once a person broke out with the fever, the chances of survival were slim. Instead, all he said was, "We need to hurry." He leaned against Anakin as the Padawan helped him up. Then the pair continued into the woods in their race against the tigra's venom.
* * *
Within the next three hours of trekking through the jungle, Obi-Wan's fever worsened considerably. By the time Anakin climbed to the top of a hill and sat down for a brief rest, Obi-Wan was completely unconscious. Anakin cradled the limp form in his arms as he continued to feed his own strength into his Master's weakening body.
Stay with me, Obi-Wan. I'm not going to let you quit now. Anakin kept trying to get through to him, but he constantly ran up against that wall of pain that was crushing Obi-Wan. He hadn't gotten a response in sometime, but Anakin was willing to try anything to help Obi-Wan live.
A particularly bright flash of lighting called Anakin's attention. He brought his head up and gasped as the purple light briefly illuminated the land at the base of the hill, revealing clusters of buildings and tents surrounded by a tall fence. He had been concentrating so hard on trying to keep Obi-Wan alive that he hadn't even felt the presence of the village. It was closer than his Master has estimated.
The village! Master, we're there! Hang on, please hang on!
Anakin half ran, half slid down the hill as he supported Obi-Wan's weight. He skidded through the thick brush and mud, stumbling to the fence.
"Hey!" he screamed. "Can anybody hear me?" He kicked at the base of the fence, trying to make as much noise as possible to be heard over the thunder. The wind whipped rain into his face and he had to throw his Padawan braid back over his shoulder.
"Open up! We need help!" Exhausted and frustrated, his voice cracked with strain. The rain that was falling on his face was beginning to mix with tears.
"Won't somebody help us?"
Anakin was about to kick the fence again when a light appeared at the top of it, accompanied by two faces.
"Who's there?" a gruff voice shouted.
"Please!" Anakin cried desperately. "You have to let us in! My Master was attacked by a tigra. He's very sick . . . he's dying!"
The other face had a white beard and mustache. He leaned over the fence and peered down at the frantic Padawan and the unconscious form that leaned on his shoulder. "Did you say 'Master'? Why, by the stars tails, it's the Jediya! Kotiera, open the gates!"
Anakin heard more orders shouted and the grinding of metal gears as the gate creaked open. He shifted Obi-Wan's weight and hurriedly dragged him into the Arling village. Pale hands seemed to materialize from the dark as they lifted Obi-Wan and carried him towards one of the sturdier buildings. Hands also reached out for Anakin, but he brushed them away and followed his Master into the building. They carried the Jedi Knight down the hallways and into a room with a bed. Before Anakin could walk through the door, one tall Arling stepped into the frame, blocking his way.
"Let me by," Anakin said forcefully.
"I'm sorry, honored one, but your presence could cause complications."
Anakin took a step closer. "Don't be ridiculous. The only reason he's not dead yet is because I've been supporting him. I need to be in there so that I can continue to support him."
The Arling bowed his head but did not yield his position. "Forgive me, Jediya, but you misunderstood me. Healing someone who has suffered wounds as grievous as your Master's is not an easy task. The healers need to focus their full attention on the injured one. Any extra minds in the room could lead to distraction and serious error."
"But I can help!" Anakin was about to further continue his protests when a hand landed lightly at his elbow. He looked down to see the Arling man from the fence, the one with the white beard and mustache.
"Let the healers do their work, young Jediya. Come," he beckoned with his other hand. "I will get you warm clothes and food and a place to sleep."
Unable to protest against the Arling's gentle command, Anakin allowed himself to be led down the hallway and into another room. The elderly Arling walked with a slight limp, using an elaborately carved, shoulder high staff for support. He pushed the door open and pointed to a couch for Anakin to sit on. Sitting down on the couch, Anakin's eyes continued to follow the Arling man as he bustled about the small kitchen area. Finally, he could no longer contain his curiosity.
"Who are you?"
The white head of hair peeked out from behind a kitchen closet door. He gave Anakin a smile, causing the skin on his face to crease into gentle wrinkles. "I am the Elder, the leader of this village. You may call me Sekiro."
Anakin opened his mouth to ask if he could go back to Obi-Wan, but Sekiro lifted a hand and pointed to a far room.
"You may go in there to wash, young one. There is a dryer just inside the door where you can put your clothes."
"Thank you, but really, I'm fine . . ."
Sekiro clucked his tongue and shook his head. "No protests, Jediya, please. Go and take care of yourself before you wind up in the infirmary like your Master."
Slightly amused by Sekiro's grandfatherly tone, Anakin finally rose from the couch and went into the 'fresher. By the time he came out again, he had dry clothes and there was a meal waiting for him on the table. Sekiro was sitting at the far end of the table, sipping a mug of steaming liquid. He motioned for Anakin to sit down and eat.
"Sekiro," Anakin said around a mouthful. "Why do you call us 'Jediya'?"
Sekiro raised his eyebrows and blinked. "That is what you are, is it not?"
"Obi-Wan and I are Jedi. Is your name for us just an Arling name?"
"Ah," Sekiro said, thoughtful tugging at his beard. "So Obi-Wan is your Master's name."
Anakin was slightly confused, but then remembered that he had not introduced himself or Obi-Wan. "Pardon me, Sekiro. I'm afraid that with all that has happened I have forgotten to introduce my Master and myself. My Master is Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi. I am his Padawan, Anakin Skywalker."
"A pleasure to meet you, young Skywalker. And to answer your earlier question, Jediya is actually an Eloylian word, not an Arling word. My people and the Trians use it jointly. We call you Jediya because we feel that the Eloylian name for the Jedi does your kind more justice."
"What does it mean?"
Sekiro's voice dropped to a low tone, one filled with reverence and awe. "Saver of souls."
Anakin was quiet for a moment. Speaking of saving . . .
"Sekiro, I need to see Obi-Wan. I need to know that he is alright."
The Elder's head nodded. "I assumed you would request to see your Master. He should be proud to have a student as loyal as you." He got up and walked to the door. "Come, young Jediya. Your Master will be sleeping, but it is safe for you to see him now."
Anakin followed Sekiro out of the door and down the hallway. As Obi-Wan's doorway appeared in sight, Anakin pushed past the Arling and rushed in. As soon as he stepped through the doorway, though, his breath caught in his throat and he slid to a stop.
The Arling medics and healers had been forced to put Obi-Wan on a respirator. A breathing mask covered his mouth and nose. A small tube snaked into his arm, feeding him liquids, nutrients, and the medicines needed to combat the venom. The gashes on his right arm and shoulder had been cleaned and were wrapped with juven bandages. Juven was a plant similar to bacta and grew prolifically on Eloyl. A small splint accompanied the bandages on Obi-Wan's arm in order to steady it and help the bone fractures heal completely.
Anakin quietly walked into the room and sat down in a chair that was next to the bed. He picked up Obi-Wan's hand. He briefly looked up as a slight gasp escaped from the respirator, pushing air into Obi-Wan's lungs. The Jedi was pale, almost ghostly looking.
Master? Anakin ventured. Master, can you hear me?
Obi-Wan did not answer. He was still alive, but his Force presence was so dim and strangled by the tigra's venom that Anakin could barely feel it. His grasp on the listless hand tightened slightly.
Hang in there, Obi-Wan. You've made it through worse predicaments. After all, you've survived teaching me, haven't you? A slight smile came to Anakin's lips as he imagined that Obi-Wan would sarcastically answer "So far."
Obi-Wan didn't make the sarcastic retort, though. Anakin sighed and settled into his chair, prepared to wait out this night, and if necessary, the next night, and the one after that, too.
