Kavaraa tried to keep herself from hyperventilating as Vaylin stood over her looking as scary as ever, this was so much all at once Kavaraa knew Vaylin had died; Kyradia had fought her on Odessen. But here she was standing over her angry as ever, the last time Kavaraa had encountered Vaylin she'd completely outclassed her and stopped her attempt to save Kyradia from carbonite.
Vaylin beared down on Kavaraa "who are you Jedi and why are you here, don't make me ask again" Kavaraa shuddered she'd hoped never to encounter Vaylin again as close as Kavaraa was with Arcann his stories had only heightened her fear of Vaylin.
Kavaraa swallowed hard as she leaned back away from the saber at her throat "I'm uh Kavaraa Bysh Jedi Basen'thor and well I don't exactly know how I got here do you?" she felt like that was a valid question for the former Empress
Vaylin seemed to frown for a second but brushed it off "you're not the one asking questions here I could have the fleet here in a second to destroy you" Kavaraa eyes widened did she not realise?
Kavaraa cocked her head at Vaylin "you don't know?, um Vaylin what's the last thing you remember" she could see Vaylin twitch as she asked the question
She blinked and looked off for a second "I was fighting the Outlander in the fores…" she trailed off and frowned "no I was fighting my father with my family and the Outlander…" she looked around the room her focus no longer on Kavaraa allowing her to shuffle away from the saber "they freed me from his control…" she looked off distantly clearly confused by the memories "and then I was here" she turned back to Kavaraa a pained expression on her face
That pain quickly turned to anger as Kavaraa saw Vaylin snarl and lift a tree out of the ground and throw it at the wall, Kavaraa gulped as much as she was scared of Vaylin it was clear she needed some help otherwise she may kill Kavaraa.
She slowly moved closer "you said you were fighting the Outlander did you win?" Vaylin's grip was tight on her saber and as Kavaraa got close she found herself at the end of it once again
Vaylin snarled at her "what's it to you Jedi!" Kavaraa jumped back in fright and as she did she noticed Vaylin's expression soften in surprise
She cocked her head as Kavaraa shivered "are you scared of me?" Kavaraa looked away awkwardly was it better to lie here or be honest
She took a deep breath "I am yeah I'm sorry but you're pretty intimidating, I'm not trying to play you or anything I'm genuinely just trying to help I don't know my way out of here but I know it's not at the end of your blade" Vaylin looked down dejected Kavaraa didn't know if she was hurt by the fact she was scared of Vaylin or if it was something else "so again did you win?" Kavaraa hoped her helping Arcann could help her understand but Vaylin seemed entirely different
Vaylin lowered her saber a bit and blinked "I don't think so, I don't remember winning" a more frightened look was coming over Vaylin's face
Kavaraa moved closer how on earth did she tell her this "and do you think either of you would've left each other the option to escape and prolong the war" Vaylin's eyes widened as she shivered
She dropped the saber from her hand as she shuddered her mouth agape "I… I… I died she killed me and held me in her arms, I gave her no other option" Kavaraa couldn't even imagine what she was going through right now, she knew this was the former Empress who'd done terrible things but Senya had explained how if anyone was to blame it was Valkorion and herself.
Kavaraa tried her best not to overstep Vaylin's boundaries while still comforting her "I'm sorry Vaylin but you left us no other choice, everything Valkorion did to you was horrible you didn't deserve any of it" Vaylin's sadness turned to anger again
She scowled at Kavaraa "what do you know of my pain Jedi!" Kavaraa swallowed hard as she felt the force energy coming from Vaylin, she had to stay strong though if she was going to survive
Kavaraa gave the kindest smile she could "I knew your brother and I helped him come to terms with his past, he still has a long way to go but he's not what anyone made him. He told me what Valkorion did to all of you-" Kavaraa didn't get to finish her sentence as Vaylin tackled her to the ground
Vaylin bared her teeth at her as Kavaraa began to hyperventilate "you're the one who turned my brother against me! With your lies of peace and forgiveness as if anyone could forgive us for what we did" Kavaraa could feel her heart rate spike as she shook from fear she didn't realise quite how afraid she was of Vaylin
Kavaraa closed her eyes to try and fight through the fear "I'm not saying it was easy but he helped save the galaxy from Valkorion and by the sounds of it so did you, I didn't turn your brother against you I only did what I promised Senya if you want to blame someone blame her she certainly feels guilt for what happened" as soon as Kavaraa finished she felt the grip loosen as Vaylin let go of her
She was sitting on the ground looking away "you really are scared of me aren't you" Kavaraa nodded lying seemed like it would do no good here "it's ok I've done plenty to earn it" she sighed "you're wrong though, not everyone can change I've had plenty of opportunities" Kavaraa sat up brushing the dirt off her
Kavaraa nodded "I don't see it quite like that you say you've had opportunities but they've always been influenced by one common villain" Vaylin still seemed angry and like she'd snap at her in a second but at least she may be getting through
Vaylin hugged her knees and mumbled "Valkorion" Kavaraa nodded "but he's gone now?" Kavaraa nodded again and smiled
She sighed "look I don't know if you can change, I used to think everyone could change with the right environment but I think I was wrong some people just don't want to change and that's that. But who knows maybe now with that part of your life gone you could and if you don't want to then I guess I can't help" Vaylin sighed clearly considering what Kavaraa had said
She scoffed "it doesn't matter anyway I'm dead, I had my chance and I wasted it if we were both alive I wouldn't have indulged this conversation I'd just have killed you on the spot, but this is the most vivid thing that's happened since we defeated Valkorion" Kavaraa shivered at the thought glad she had some buffer to stop Vaylin's destructive side
Kavaraa shrugged "well you say that but clearly this holocron has stopped part of your soul from passing on into the living force so you're technically alive even if your vessel is dead, plenty of people have had multiple vessels" as much as using those tyrannical people as an example was a bad idea it may reassure the former Empress
Vaylin seemed to consider it "I guess but they were all evil and dark methods" Kavaraa nodded sadly "what do you mean about a holocron?" she asked causing Kavaraa's eyes to widen
She explained "well that's how I got here I noticed something familiar from a holocron in the archive I'm at and when I focussed on it I arrived here" Vaylin frowned looking around
She scowled "so I'm trapped forever in a prison, the more things change the more they stay the same" Kavaraa nodded she didn't really have any answers for Vaylin or any solutions but she could at least try to help her, more for Arcann and Senya than anything she knew they'd appreciate this. "But you're not here for me Kavaraa what's the actual reason you're here" Kavaraa was surprised by the question although true she was surprised Vaylin had the context to put it together
She looked away "well my ancestors run this archive and there's a threat to it so I kinda gotta stay and protect it" she felt like telling the person eternally trapped in a holocron was fine she couldn't exactly tell anyone
Vaylin clearly had given up on being aggressive accepting her fate at least for the time being "what sort of threat? I'd kill for something interesting" Kavaraa shivered knowing she meant it but while she was stuck here she may as well talk about it
She explained "well um it turns out the Emperor's Wrath is here trying to consolidate power and I don't exactly want her finding this place or getting herself more power" Vaylin nodded leaning against a tree
She yawned "is the wrath the tall pale one with the red robes or the red and black one with the pretty hair" Kavaraa frowned a bit at the descriptions especially because she'd fought Kyradia on multiple occasions
She let out a small chuckle "the first one, very tall, very angry and very powerful" Vaylin seemed to frown at this and turn to her
Vayin shook her head "I mean sure she's pretty powerful but she's so easy to get in the head of, that's how I beat her; you just get her all angry and rage filled and she'll start making mistakes. Fighting her isn't about outclassing her power cause believe me even I was a little intimidated by her power, it's about out thinking her cause she isn't the smartest one you've ever seen" Kavaraa nodded surprised to be getting advice from the former Empress of all people but she did bring up a valid point
Kavaraa stroked her chin "what sorta stuff did you use to get in her head" she'd never been the trash talky type
Vaylin smiled "oh easy stuff like 'you're just a pawn in the emperors game' or 'he's just using you you'll never be part of his empire' or 'he abandoned you' usually stuff people would say to me, although they may need to be adapted now father is well and truly disposed of" Kavaraa shivered hearing her talk so casually about her father's death but she doubted she understood what it had been like
Kavaraa nodded "I think I can work out something like that, I can't believe I'm gonna say this but thanks Vaylin" Vaylin seemed confused by the statement
She frowned "Uh why I didn't do anything?" Kavaraa shook her head
She smiled "seriously before this I have never come close to beating the Wrath now I have a genuine chance you just helped me out" Vaylin seemed confused and unsure what to say
She let out a deep breath "uh you're welcome I think, I didn't do it for you though this is just the only thing that's been more than a vague memory for ages I'd take anything over how it feels in here" Kavaraa shivered she couldn't imagine "can I ask how long it's been since I uh 'died'" Kavaraa didn't even know how to answer that
She twiddled her thumbs "um it's been about 2 years give or take" Vaylin's eyes widened as she looked around
She put her hands to her temples "ugh 2 years and to me it felt like a couple days I gotta find a way out of here" she looked to Kavaraa and for a few moments clearly had to bring herself to ask something "can you uh… can you um… can you come visit me every now and again so I don't go crazy, I'll even help with your problems just keep me from going insane, well anymore insane" Kavaraa was surprised at the request clearly Vaylin's initial anger had melted away when she'd realised the magnitude of her predicament but was she ready to visit someone who terrified her
She thought of Senya and Arcann and realised she had to help "ok Vaylin I'll visit when I can but first of all I have to work out a way out of here" Vaylin nodded thinking to herself
She smiled "Maybe I can help with that" she concentrated and a quick fog built up around them and before Kavaraa knew it she was back in her chambers in the archive breathing heavily.
She gasped realising the magnitude of what just happened. She'd just found the dead former Empress Vaylin in a holocron and she was seemingly cooperating with her, Kavaraa expected it was because she had to to even think about escaping the thing. But still maybe she could do something similar to what she did with Arcann, she certainly wouldn't mind helping the Tiralls a little more. Kavaraa picked up the holocron and looked at it with a smile, maybe she could fix them...