The Force's Shepherds
Chapter 24
The Magician
Ben let out a long sigh. He fanned his face for a brief moment before wiping a layer of sweat from his brow. His feet trudged through sand that at one time had been packed firmly enough to have once been considered a road. But now, after years of use and years of environmental abuse, the sand was loose, coarse, irritating, and it got everywhere. Ben grimaced as his foot slipped and sank down deep into the earth beneath his feet.
Deserts. He thought to himself, Why do my travels always end up going through a desert at some point?
Needless to say, he was irritated. And not just with the sand. The heat was almost unbearable at points during the march to Plegia's capitol. And while Gaius and Marth seemed to have no trouble traversing the savage landscape. Ben, Cordelia, and Panne required frequent breaks to stave off the heat.
And now was the time for one of those breaks. Ben huffed and came to a stop. His hands rested on his knees as he sucked in some deep breaths.
"Damn this heat." He muttered to himself.
"Oh come on, Ben." Gaius chirped, "It's just the dry heat."
"It doesn't matter whether it is wet or dry." Ben grumbled, "Both result in me feeling very hot and grumpy."
"Candy bar?" Gaius offered.
"Is it melted?"
Gaius frowned, reached into his pocket, and withdrew a small packet that squished between his fingers.
"Unfortunately." He sighed before shaking his head.
Ben nodded as he struggled to catch his breath. The air here was so dry. It felt like he was inhaling dust as he tried to breath. A very uncomfortable sensation that reminded him way to much of the ash soaked air on Mustafar. He grabbed the small skin of water strapped around his hip and put it to his lips. But only a few drops of water hit his tongue. Certainly not enough to quench his thirst.
"Is there an oasis nearby?" Ben asked Gaius.
Gaius gawked at Ben, "You're out of water already!?"
"We told you to conserve as much as you could." Marth said as she stared up the road, keeping watch for any possible patrols. Although, Ben doubted any soldiers would be crazy enough to come this far out into the desert wastes.
"And I did." Ben grumbled, "But I am not a-" He furrowed his brow, "Cordelia," He called behind him to the red haired pegasus knight, "what is that animal with the hump called again?"
"A camel." Cordelia deadpanned.
"Yes! I am not a camel." Ben pointed out, "Unlike you two."
"Hey!" Gaius shot back, "Unlike Blue, I don't have humps."
Marth grit her teeth and bit back a scathing remark. Ben pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Sometimes I wonder what is wrong with your brain." He said under his breath.
"Many things." Gaius smirked, "But it's a good enough brain to get us all the way to the capitol undetected."
Gaius turned on his heel and began to whistle a cheerful tune as he marched through the sand. The former Plegian thief made it look so easy. His feet practically glided through the terrain. Ben sighed. Then again, he grew up in this land. It would make sense for the thief to be used to both the terrain and the heat.
"We aren't at the Capitol yet." Ben grumbled as threw his hood over his head. His best attempt to shield himself from the blazing sun that sat high above their heads, "And at this rate," He struggled to follow Gaius and Marth up a large dune that seemed to never end, "We will die of thirst before reaching it."
"I really hope you are wrong." Cordelia said as her feet slipped in the sand.
Ben reached out and snagged her wrist, preventing the red haired woman from tumbling down the sand dune. Another hand hit Cordelia's back and helped push her back upright.
"Thank you Panne." Cordelia said, "And you too, Ben."
The Taguel just sniffed as she trudged past them in order to catch up to Gaius and Marth. Ben heard her grumbling about sand stuck between her ears as she stormed up the dune. Ben paused for a moment and blinked more sweat from his eyes.
"Ben?"
He glanced over at Cordelia. The pegasus knight was struggling the most of their group. The girl was physically fit. Ben would not deny that. But she was much better suited riding a Pegasus than marching through sand dunes and badlands. And the pace they had set once they all crossed the border was furious. Twice they marched late into the night, almost to dawn. Doing their best to take advantage of the cooler temperatures. Several times they all decided to not eat food in order to cover several more miles. Not that there was much food to find in these parts. Though Panne did manage to catch a pair of thin lizards for the group to snack on one night.
"Do you think we will make it in time?" Cordelia asked as she stopped beside him and wiped some of her red hair from her forehead.
Ben pressed his lips together then nodded. Which seemed enough for the Pegasus Knight. The pair walked side by side up the dune. Both watching as the others reached the crest then began to descend down the other side.
Force, Ben hoped they would make it in time. He hoped that Gangrel was so mad and prideful that he paraded Emmeryn far longer than any reasonable enemy should. And while the thought of Emmeryn being displayed as a trophy made Ben's blood boil, it was her best shot at still being alive once they arrived in the capitol.
It was a scary thought for him. To feel such anger at the possibility of another person being harmed. Being humiliated and scarred by a remorseless monster. He had thought that he had conquered those emotions during his many years as a Jedi Knight and Jedi Master. But now they had resurfaced. Perhaps it was his newly restored youth wreaking havoc on his mind. Or maybe it was the lack of meditation and re-training in the Jedi arts that caused this weakness. Regardless of what was causing it, the desperation he felt worried Ben.
A Jedi was not supposed to become attached. To anyone. Let alone romantically attached. He had fallen for that trap once before. And in the end, she died. A victim of knowing him.
Ben swallowed hard. Anakin's fall was also a result of attachment. A deep attachment that had such a firm grip on him that it led him to seek horrible solutions to situations that were beyond his control. And it had resulted in both his fall to the dark side, and his death at Ben's hands.
He shuddered a little. Just enough so that Cordelia would not notice. Was he on the same path as Anakin now? If Emmeryn were to die, would he lose himself just as his old padawan had? Satine's death had been devastating, but he had only just rekindled their friendship when she had died. There had been decades of no contact before then. While her death stung, and still caused his heart to ache, it had not destroyed him. Which, he was certain, was Maul's intent.
But now, with the attachment to Emmeryn so fresh in his mind and heart, if she were to die, would he still stand by his beliefs? Would he remain a Jedi? Or would he fall as well?
Ben recalled a conversation he had with his Master, Qui Gon. It was a lesson he had learned long ago. Back when his master had suspected that his padawan had a flirtatious relationship with the young duchess of Mandalore.
It still boggled his mind that at one time, Qui Gon had been in love. She was a fellow Jedi. A beautiful woman, if what Ben had heard about her was true. And she died on a mission while Qui Gon was in the Temple. His master had almost lost himself to the Dark Side in his grief.
That lesson served as both a shocking story, and a firm warning on what could happen if he let himself grow too attached. But Ben also recalled something else. An important detail that he had overlooked before.
Qui Gon had never said attachment was a bad thing. At least, not at its core. Ben furrowed his brow. That little lesson confused him more than his Master's usual 'live in the moment' one. How could attachment be both bad and good? How could anything be both bad and good?
He shook his head and shoved the thoughts from his mind. He could not afford to become lost in his thoughts. Right now, Exalt Emmeryn needed to be rescued. And Plegia must be defeated. Those were the objectives. Anything else, any debates with himself, could wait.
Ben exhaled loudly when he and Cordelia reached the top of the dune. And what he saw made him want to groan so loud that any passing patrol would almost certainly hear them.
"I told you we'd get there!" Gaius shouted from halfway down the dune before pointing a finger off into the distance.
Ben followed Gaius's finger. Sitting in the middle of the dry, cracked earth, was a large city. Not large by Ben's standards. No city could ever be as large as Coruscant. Nor as beautiful in his mind as Sundari or Theed. But it was large by this planet's standards.
And there was one landmark in it that made Ben reel.
It dominated the city's meager skyline. His eyes followed dry, yellow bones high above the stone huts and sandy streets. All the way up till he gazed into the massive, porous skull of a creature far bigger than anything Ben had ever seen before.
He swallowed hard as he gazed upon the skull and bones that wrapped around the city. Each rib was easily as big as a single Krayt dragon. The spine ran like a never ending serpent around the city before sinking into the sand. Buried for all eternity. And the skull was something straight out a nightmare.
It had a massive jaw. And wicked teeth that looked as large as some of the houses in the city. And were no doubt as sharp as any blade. The snout of the creature covered an entire massive dune. Then there was the most outlandish of its features. The six holes that dotted the sides of the skull. Three on each side.
"What is that?" Ben wondered out loud.
"The remains of the Fell Dragon, Grima." Marth answered grimly.
Cordelia swallowed hard as she looked at the skeleton. Panne's fur bristled ever so slightly. Gaius just shrugged.
"Why are you all acting so scared all of a sudden? It's dead."
"Forgive us for actually listening to the history of our world." Marth snapped back.
Gaius recoiled as she stormed down the sand dune.
"Did I say something wrong?"
Ben shrugged, "I don't know. I've… I've heard of the Fell Dragon but I never thought it could actually be real." He looked over at Cordelia, "Does that mean that Ylisse's Divine Dragon is real too?"
Cordelia gave him a firm nod, "Who do you think imbued the first Exalt with the power to slay that fell beast?"
Ben returned his gaze to the skeleton of Grima. The first Exalt killed that monster? With the help of another supposed deity on this planet? He had heard of many strange things during his time with the Jedi order. But this was now far up that list. And it was definitely a subject he would be investigating further.
"Alright, listen up." Gaius barked to all of them, "When we get into the city, remember who we are. We may be Ylisseans, but we are first and foremost entertainers. Ben!"
Ben sighed, "I'm the magician."
"Red? Blue?"
"Assistant." Cordelia nodded.
Marth did not say a word. Her eyes were fixed on Grima's bones. Ben could see her hands balling up into tight fists at her sides. He got the feeling that her anger was not directed at Gaius in any way. Rather, it was focused purely on the yellow bones that towered over the Plegian capitol.
"Panne?"
"I refuse to be a rabbit that comes out of a hat!" Panne roared.
"But we need to explain your ears somehow." Gaius commented.
Ben sighed, "Leave that to me." Gaius gave him a puzzled look, "I'm the magician. Maybe I used magic to transform her into a half woman, half rabbit."
"I am not a rabbit." Panne snarled.
"You'll have to be in order for this ruse to work." Ben said, "Otherwise, our mission could fail."
Panne scowled. But she relented in the end.
"I still will not come out of a large hat."
"I won't ask you to." Ben replied.
"Alright!" Gaius clapped his hands together, "Let's get into town. I know a place we can stay. Trust me, the innkeeper loves me."
The red haired thief took off down the sand dune, leaving Marth, Ben, and the others behind. Ben arched an eyebrow before turning to Cordelia.
"Why do I get the feeling that this is going to go horribly wrong?"
"It's Gaius." Cordelia replied, "No matter how hare brained his schemes are, they seem to work."
"We don't have a choice." Marth said firmly, "He knows this city. We do not."
She turned on her heel and marched after Gaius. Panne wordlessly followed. Cordelia shrugged.
"An inn will be nice." She said as she followed the others, "It will give me a chance to polish my armor. Maybe get some of the sand out of my socks."
She paused on her way down and turned back to see Ben still standing in the same spot. More sweat beaded on his forehead. And she saw him swallow hard.
"Ben? Are you alright?"
Ben's eyes were glazed over for a moment. But Cordelia's voice shook him free of whatever spell he was under. He cleared his throat.
"Yes. Just tired, and very thirsty." He swiped some sand from his pants and followed Cordelia towards the city, "Let's keep moving."
He saw Cordelia give him a hesitant nod. She was not convinced he was fine. No one was convinced whenever he said that. Why should they be? His relationship with Emmeryn was rather public among the other Shepherds. And it was probably a huge focus of gossip among the Pegasus Knights. But it was not just Emmeryn's life being at stake that caused Ben to hesitate.
Ben felt him. The dark presence that had become all too familiar in his life. A cold, furious, evil. Filled with wrath and cunning. Ben clenched his jaw.
Maul was here.
….
The weather shifted when the small group of Shepherds reached the Plegian Capitol. Above them, the skies darkened. And to Ben's pleasure and surprise, rain drops began to fall from the bloated clouds above their heads. The sun was hidden and the air cooled dramatically. So much so that he was forced to keep his hood over his head. Not to shield himself from the sun anymore, but to shield himself from the cold rain that swept over the city.
The streets were clogged with people despite the weather. Several residents in the houses they passed quickly put out large buckets and barrels in order to collect as much of the rain water as they could. Small, Plegian children were dancing in the rain drops. Splashing in the puddles. And causing all sorts of noise with their playful cries.
Ben felt a small smile cross his lips as several of the little children rushed past him on the road. They did not care that they nearly ran into him. They only cared that it was cool outside. That there was a rare rain hitting the city. And they were going to enjoy it while they could.
He watched as several of the children brandished sticks at each other. Each mimicking a famous knight. His smile fell a little as he realized the game they were playing.
It was War, between the righteous Plegians and the dastardly Ylisseans. One kid claimed the title of King Gangrel while another claimed to be the evil Prince Chrom. Ben paused as he watched the children clash in a flurry of sticks, cries, and laughter.
In all his years of warfare, this was something Ben had not seen before. The other side. Their viewpoint. How the common folk of his enemy saw him and his allies. It was not until the end of the Clone War that he learned how the majority of the galaxy viewed the Jedi Order. That had been one of the rare instances where he became aware of animosity towards his side in a conflict. But he had never seen it this up close and personal before. He hadn't walked through the enemy's streets as a Jedi General. His job was to command soldiers on the battlefield. Not interact with the Separatists.
He shook his head and returned to following the others. His boots quickly became clogged with clumps of wet sand and water. Mud stained his legs. And the rain was beginning to soak through his ratty old cloak when the group finally reached the inn Gaius knew about.
Ben glanced up at the sign. It was a simple, wooden thing. Carved into the wood in uneven letters was the name of the Inn.
Grima's Rest.
Ben grimaced. That was going to sit very well with Cordelia and Marth. He took the lead and pushed the door to the inn open.
The inside was warm. There was a small fire that had just started to burn in a large common room to the right. To the left were about a dozen or so tables and chairs. A large communal dining room for patrons looking to escape the elements or the city riff raff. Right in front of the main door was a bar. Almost every single chair was occupied. The tables were laden with trays of food that Ben had never seen before, and cups filled with a dark brown ale. Two women weaved their way through the common area and dining room, handing out food and drinks as they worked. Behind that bar was a man with tanned skin, like leather, and a hard face. His meaty hands were busy drying mugs. Even though he had a portly shape to his body, Ben could see there was power in his movements. If he were to take a guess, Ben would have said that this man was a former soldier. A man who retired from battle in order to run a little inn near the skeleton of a deity.
Gaius swept around Ben and approached the bar counter. He gave the innkeeper a large, toothy grin. The innkeeper's eyes widened while the other Shepherds stood behind Gaius.
"Is that really you, Gaius?" The man asked, his gruff voice filled with surprise.
"The one and only, Reg." Gaius beamed.
The man gave Gaius a wary look, "I heard about that expedition you went on. The one with those Grimleal into Ylissean territory."
Gaius hid it very well, but Ben could feel a surge of anxiety burst inside of the thief.
"We were told everyone save one mage was killed in that mission." The innkeeper finished.
Gaius chuckled, "Well, I wasn't. Made it out alive. But seeing as how I didn't have any easy transportation back home, I decided to break into a new line of work."
The innkeeper, Reg, raised an eyebrow.
"Entertainment, Reggie." Gaius let out a small chuckled, "Turns out, robbing people of their time is much more profitable than robbing them of their valuables."
"Is that so?" Reg remarked. His dark eyes fell on Ben, Marth, Cordelia, and Panne, "And your friends are?"
"My associates in my soon to be burgeoning entertainment empire!" Gaius declared, "For you see," He leaned close to Reg and nodded over at Ben, "That one there is a magician. A truly magnificent one. And those lovely vixens are his assistants."
Reg eyed over the group once more before grunting, "Alright, I don't want to know what idiotic scheme you are up to now, boy. You've got gold to be here?"
Gaius smiled, "Of course I do." He reached into his pack and withdrew a small pouch filled with Plegian gold that he had 'found', "Is that enough for food and lodging for a few days?"
Reg pulled the pouch open and withdrew one coin. He eyed it carefully before flicking it up in the air and catching it.
"Yeah, sure. I'll have one of my girls get a room ready for you all. For now, wait in the common room."
"Sure thing. Oh and Reg, five ales please." Gaius said.
"I'll bring them to you."
Gaius nodded then beckoned for Ben and the others to follow him. The group eventually took over a small corner booth near the back of the common room. One of Reg's barmaid brought over five large ales then let them be. But not before taking a terrified look at Marth and Cordelia.
Gaius rubbed his hands together, gripped his mug, and took a large gulp.
A satisfied gasp left his lips, "That's good."
"It's swill." Panne grumbled as she took a small sip.
"You can't expect luxury around here, Whiskers." Gaius said, "And you definitely aren't going to get water. That stuff is way to pricey for an establishment like this."
"Nor enthusiastic service." Ben noted, "That barmaid gave us quite the fearful look."
"She knows we're Ylissean." Marth concluded, "And if she knows, then your friend Reg definitely knows."
Cordelia sucked in a sharp breath, "Should we be ready for a fight?"
Gaius waved off their concerns, "Relax you two. Of course they know you're Ylissean. Everyone in this city can tell."
"And that is not something to be concerned about!?" Cordelia exclaimed.
Gaius shrugged, "As long as you don't make a big deal about it. It's not like we could hide it after all. You and Marth are about as pale as fresh milk."
"And you're not?" Cordelia shot back.
Gaius chuckled, "I tend to work at night, sweetheart. Unlike other Plegians, I don't get a whole lot of sun."
He drank deep from his mug before setting it down and crossing his legs. His relaxed appearance helped to soothe Ben's own anxiety about this place. But still, the swordsman was on alert. There was no telling what could happen when you were in the enemy's backyard.
He could not be too careful. Ben closed his eyes and slowed his breathing. He felt his heartbeat begin to slow down. And the force stretched out around him.
He could feel everyone in the building. Most were happy. The rain had brought a cheer to the city and much needed water to everyone that lived in it. There was a group of soldiers across the room. Celebrating their opportunity to go to war with Ylisse. They would be leaving tomorrow. There were a few traders that had set up small stalls in the city markets. Once their wares ran out, they would leave and move on to the next city. Hopefully a place where their gold could net them even more valuable goods to try and resell. There was one particular merchant talking loudly with a large group of other merchants. A red haired woman with a mottled orange and brown outfit. An aura of complete confidence radiated from her.
Ben could not help but feel himself laugh a little. One of the other merchants felt furious. He had been swindled out of something. But the red haired merchant would not let him win it back.
He reached out further into the room. There were several residents of nearby houses who used the inn as their local watering hole. A place to drink after a long day of work in the boiling heat. And then there was-
Ben frowned. Standing near the stairwell that led to the bedrooms was a dark presence. He opened his eyes and cast a small glance over his shoulder in that direction. Leaning up against the doorway was a woman wearing a rather skimpy outfit. A black cape was draped over her shoulders. Her black hair hung in straight bangs over her forehead. Shadowing out much of her face. Clutched to her breasts was a large, black tome that she was occasionally opening, reading intensely, then closing in order to observe the patrons inside of the common room.
"You see something?" Gaius asked Ben.
"Near the stairwell." Ben whispered.
Gaius's eyes darted over there. He coughed on his ale then quickly averted his eyes. Cordelia also looked over there.
"Don't tell me you are suddenly shy when it comes to beautiful women, Gaius." Cordelia said playfully.
Gaius did not play back. He wiped his mouth and gulped.
"I'm not shy about that." He leaned towards Cordelia and Ben, "But I am not interested in catching the attention of a Grimleal mage."
Ben's eyes widened.
"A Grimleal mage?" Cordelia gasped.
"Not so loud!" Gaius hissed, "Do you want to draw her attention?"
Cordelia sank in her seat, "I just… I've never seen one before."
"And be grateful you haven't." Gaius replied, "I'm Plegian, and even I will admit that she is bad news. That black tome she has contains all sorts of nasty spells."
"Avoid contact with her." Ben nodded, "Duly noted."
Footsteps boomed on the floorboards near them. Ben furrowed his brow and twisted in his seat. The soldiers he had sensed earlier were stumbling towards their table. The four of them were clearly drunk. And drunk soldiers, especially ones that lacked proper discipline, tended to cause problems.
"Be on your guard." He warned Marth.
"Relax." Gaius countered, "We'll just have a friendly conversation with them."
The thief rotated in his seat so that he could face the drunk soldiers that had stopped in front of them.
"Good evening, friends." Gaius smiled, "Lovely ale today, no?"
"Absolutely!" Their leader. A lanky, boyish looking man with short brown hair replied, "Reg did good this time. Didn't *hic* serve us swill."
"The rain definitely *hic* helped in that." One of his companions slurred, "Been getting a lot of that recently."
"Really!?" Gaius exclaimed, "This is great news. The gods bless us."
"Ha! Sure they do." The leader laughed. He took a moment to stop laughing, "So, I heard from one of the barmaids that *hic* you are *hic* entertainers?"
Ben froze in his seat. Gaius gave the soldier a relaxed smile.
"Yes, we are."
The soldier looked impatiently at the five Shepherds. Then his face twisted into a snarl. In one, blinding fast movement, he buried a knife into their table. To his surprise, Ben and the others did not flinch. But that did not stop him from glaring at all five of them.
"Well! Entertain us! We fight so you can do you paltry show! So do it!"
Gaius let out an easy going laugh. He patted the man's hand and slid it off of the knife, "No need to be like that, friend. Of course we will entertain." He motioned at Ben, "My magician friend here would love to show you a trick or two."
Ben grit his teeth, "Gaius-"
"A magician? Like a street performer?" The soldier slurred, "Your kind are pretty popular around here. Maybe I've heard of you?" He narrowed his eyes at Ben, "But I don't recognize you."
"Well- um-" Gaius uttered a nervous cough. He had forgotten that they needed some sort of backstory. Ben sighed as Gaius fumbled with his words. The thief needed help. Which meant, Ben would have to pull out all of the stops. "We are rather new and-"
"I dare say!" Ben jumped to his feet, "I am rather offended that you have never heard of me. For I am a magician of great renown and power!"
Gaius gaped at Ben. He then blinked and bobbed his head, "Yes! He is!"
"Really?" The soldier narrowed his eyes. He leaned close to Ben's face. So close in fact, that Ben could smell the alcohol on his breath, "What is your name?"
Ben looked aghast. Meanwhile, Marth stared wide eyed, mouth open, as Ben hammed it up.
"How dare you ask such a frivolous question." Ben declared, "But I shall tell you. For I am…" His mind raced for a brief moment. And in that moment, he could only think of one, ridiculous name, "Obi the Skywalker!"
Cordelia blinked. Panne frowned. Gaius began to laugh uncontrollably. And Marth let her head fall to the table.
"Obi the Skywalker?" The soldier appeared confused.
"Oh yeah!" The third soldier declared, "I've heard of someone like that! But not sure what he does exactly."
"You have?" Ben said before jumping, "I mean- of course you have! I am world famous."
"Wonderful!" The soldier cheered, "Do some tricks for us! Entertain us!"
"I shall!" Ben declared, "If only to prove to you that my magic is truly magnificent! But in order to do so, I need one of my… lovely… assistants."
Cordelia averted her eyes. Her own anxiety over the situation meant she would not do well in this situation. Ben did not blame her. There was too much tumult in her mind in order for her to effectively help him deceive these soldiers.
His gaze fell on Marth. And a small smile spread over his lips.
He knew one fact about Marth. She was a force sensitive. But beyond that, he did not know much about her. This gave him the perfect opportunity to test her abilities. To see the true extent of her powers. She was already able to effectively shield her mind from his light probing. Now it was time to see if she was capable of more.
"My dear." He extended a hand to her.
Marth glared at him. Then she glanced at the soldiers. She huffed and got to her feet.
"Oh great Obi, you did not let me prepare." She said monotonously.
"You do not need to prepare. For the trick I shall perform only requires my power." He leaned into her ear, "Lift me up."
Marth raised an eyebrow. Then it dawned on her. Her face paled for moment and she subtly shook her head. Panic filled her eyes.
Ben gave her a reassuring nod, "Watch as I transfer my power into my assistant so that I can walk the skies!"
He made a big show of it all. His hands extended over Marth's shoulders, fingers splayed out wide. He closed his eyes, hummed a moment, then opened his eyes. He gave her a small nod.
Marth gulped. Ben could see her fingers trembling. She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths.
The Force burst to life inside of her. A well of untapped power that blew Ben away. It was unfocused, raw, and bright. Steeped deep in the light side of the Force. He sucked in a breath as he felt Marth reach out with the force and grip him.
At first it was a rough, tight grab. The mark of an inexperienced force user, still trying to learn how to properly control their powers. Marth cringed. But Ben remained calm.
"Lift me dearest." He ordered, his voice gentle and reassuring.
Marth closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She extended a trembling hand.
Ben did not feel anything at first. Just the slight pressure of someone gripping him with the force. Then he felt the ground give way beneath his feet. Slowly, his body began to ascend. And all around him, patrons in the inn gawked.
Ben's lips parted into a wide smile. He spread his arms out wide and stared down at the dumbfounded soldiers from the rafters.
"Behold! I am the Skywalker!"
Cheers erupted inside of the inn. A round of applause filled his ears. Ben looked out and saw dozens staring up at him in stunned awe and admiration. He glanced over at his friends. Gaius had a smug grin on his face. His hands were clasped behind his head as he leaned back in his seat and reveled in the praises of the crowd. Panne stared up wide eyed.
Cordelia's jaw hung open in utter shock. Her gaze snapped from Marth, to Ben, then back to Marth. Ben smiled down at her then called Marth's name.
Once she heard his voice, Marth began to ease him down. The entire time, her arm was shaking. She could feel sweat beading on her forehead as she struggled to control the Force. It was one thing to execute a force push. It was another to delicately suspend a friend in the air without crushing them or sending them flying. With one last deep breath, she placed Ben back on the floor.
Ben spun on his heel to face the soldiers.
"Satisfied?" He asked.
The soldiers whooped and cheered, "More than!"
One of them dug into his pocket and withdrew several copper coins. He flicked them at Gaius and strutted away. The leader lingered a moment. A dumb grin was plastered over his face.
"Greatest magician I've ever seen." He grinned before leaving with the others.
Ben smiled at them as they left. Once the crowd stopped cheering and returned to their drinks, he let the smile fade and he sat down once again.
He looked across at Marth. The girl was shaken. And she looked weary. Ben pursed his lips. She was force sensitive. And she had some training. But not very thorough training it seems. She could use the force to shield her mind and execute minor tricks. She could even use it to augment some of her physical abilities. But she lacked precise control. He felt that when she initially gripped him with the force.
That was a result of her being unsure of herself. Ben could see that now. Marth knew she was powerful. And she was terrified of using that power. Before he could say anything to her, Gaius smacked his hand on the table.
"That was incredible!"
"Indeed, man-spawn." Panne said, "You have much more power than I initially thought."
Cordelia was gobsmacked. She stared wide eyed at Ben and Marth. Unable to form any words. Let alone sentences.
Marth just sucked in as much air as she could before grabbing her ale and drinking her cup dry. Once it was empty, she slammed the mug down on the table and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.
"I'm tired." She gasped.
Ben nodded, "I understand."
Marth got to her feet, "I'll um… see what room we're in and go to sleep."
"I'll join you." Cordelia said as she got up as well.
Panne yawned and scratched at her left ear, "The march has left me weary as well. Perhaps it would be wise for us to get some rest."
"Aw, party poopers!" Gaius complained. He set his ale down then shrugged, "Eh, you're probably right."
He got up in order to follow Marth. As Marth turned to leave, Ben called to her.
"Marth." He said quietly so that no one else other than their group could hear him.
She turned to face him. Ben drew back in surprise. She looked paler than normal. And she was still struggling to catch her breath. Her fingers trembled at her sides. Did that simple exercise really exhaust her that much?
"You did well." He smiled at her.
There was no smile. No thank you. Marth just bowed her head and nodded a little. Before Ben could ask what was wrong, she was gone. The girl disappeared up the stairs with Cordelia and Panne close behind her.
As Gaius reached the stairs he turned back to Ben.
"You coming?" He asked.
Ben shook his head, "No. I've… I've got some things on my mind I still need to sort out."
Gaius grinned, "And ale can help with that. I get it. Don't stay up too late, Obi the Skywalker."
He laughed heartily then disappeared upstairs. Ben chuckled to himself a little bit.
"How on earth did I come up with that?" He mumbled to himself as his fingers tapped against the table.
The past ten minutes replayed over and over in his mind. Those soldiers confronting them had almost blown their cover. And it caused them to lose their ability to stay under the radar. The entire city would probably know by morning about the magician that could walk the skies. Which meant all eyes would be on him and his friends.
Ben rubbed his bare chin.
It's a good thing I shaved. He thought to himself.
Then there was Marth. The girl looked shaken to the core. Not just from levitating Ben, but from what he said to her. How did him saying well done cause her that much distress? Ben frowned and leaned back in his seat. One finger rubbed the end of his chin as he lost himself in thought.
He was so lost in his own mind, that he failed to notice the form of a black haired woman brush past him and take a seat across from him. Ben hummed to himself.
"I wonder." A sultry voice said, causing Ben to snap free from his thoughts, "If I were to cast a particular hex on you, would you divulge your secret magic to me, or not?"
Ben blinked and looked across the table. Sitting there was the one person Gaius said to avoid. The Grimleal mage he had noticed earlier. She was now sitting directly across from him. Her dark eyes bored holes into him. But they did not seem malicious. Her gaze actually looked curious.
"Secret magic?" Ben replied.
The Grimleal mage let out a small, dark chuckle, "Don't play dumb. You and I both know a simple magician could not do what you and your… assistant did. You both possess some sort of magic that I don't know about." A dark smile crossed her pale lips, "I'm simply trying to determine the best way to go about getting the information I want. Do I cast a truth hex? Or perhaps I drag you away into the night and torture you for what I want? There are so many possibilities."
Ben narrowed his eyes at her, "Truth hex?"
"Have you not heard of hexes, Obi the great and powerful?"
Ben leaned back in his seat, "Can't say I have."
He threw up his mental defenses. There was something about this woman that set him on edge. Made him nervous. There was obvious power within her. And he could feel the dark side of the force beginning to swell in her. Whatever her goal was, she was preparing to act on it.
The woman uttered another dark snicker before extending a hand across the table, "Tharja."
Ben eyed her hand cautiously. His eyes flicked back up to her face. There were no hints of treachery there. But when it came to the Grimleal, could he really trust physical appearances?
But he could not give away his suspicions. He had a part to play in their mission. And that part was the entertaining, bombastic, magician. One who was unafraid to speak with those who admired him. And one who never divulged his secrets.
He grabbed her hand, "Obi the-"
Black markings appeared on Tharja's pale skin. A small, victorious smile spread over her lips. And her eyes lit up with triumph.
"A truth hex." She told him before squeezing his hand tight and refusing to let go.
Ben felt some panic flicker inside of him. But he quickly quashed it.
"Let's start with something simple." Tharja drawled, "Favorite color?"
Ben smirked at her, "Are we playing a game?"
Then he felt it. A pressure on his mind that made him recoil. He could hear a sweet, seductive voice in his mind. Whispering in his ear. Telling him to speak. Begging him to spill all of his secrets out to her. Trying to break into his thoughts and read every single scrap of information it could. His shoulders tensed and his jaw stiffened. He beat back the whispers until only one words dominated his thoughts.
"Blue." He said.
Tharja smiled, "Very good. Now then, where are you from?"
The pressure built in his mind. Ben clenched his teeth together. There was pain now. A slight throbbing. It felt like the onset of a massive headache. Whatever spell this woman had cast was trying it's best to wreak havoc on his mind. But he could not relent. He would not give in.
"Rosanne." He lied, "Across the sea."
Tharja eyed him carefully. She did not appear very satisfied with that answer. Which meant she would only press harder.
Ben thought quickly. He could not break this spell. Not without using his full force powers in order to overwhelm Tharja. While tempting, it was not something a Jedi would do. It would require shattering their mental connection. An action that would be somewhat painful for him, a trained force adept, and agonizing for her. And while he did not consider her to be friendly. He did not wish to cause her pain.
Besides, the last thing he needed was to harm a Grimleal mage. That would cause the entire order of dark wizards to come crashing down on him, Gaius, Marth, Panne, and Cordelia. Their mission would be doomed.
That left two options. Resist but eventually feel his mental walls crumble. Or do something even riskier.
What he felt right now was similar to a mental force connection. A weak force bond in a way. He had strong bonds with Master Qui Gon and Anakin before. They would often share thoughts and feelings with each other when communication was absolutely needed.
Ben steeled his mind. Turning this connection into a two way street would open his mind up for the briefest of moments. Long enough for her to catch a glimpse of anything. But it would allow him to turn the tables on Tharja. Perhaps even reverse the truth hex onto her.
"Third question." Tharja said, "What is your real name, magician?"
Ben grit his teeth. The pressure was sharp now. There was no other option. He had to risk it.
He relaxed and opened his mind for a split second. Across the table, he saw Tharja gasp. Her eyes widened. And then Ben took control of the connection. In an instant he saw a flurry of thoughts. A multitude of emotions hit his mind.
Pain. Anger. Desperation. Shock.
Ben drew back in surprise. The dark side of the force was strong in this girl. But she was not evil. There was good in her. True good. He could not place exactly where, but it was there.
An image flooded his mind. A memory. A house in the desert. A mother screaming. A father being cut down by a blast of magic. A small, black haired girl wailing as a pair of men in black and gold cloaks ripped her from her dying mother's arms.
Ben grit his teeth and slammed the connection closed. Tharja ripped her hand from Ben's. Her chest heaved up and down. She looked at him with both terror and fascination.
"What are you?" She whispered.
Ben leaned forward, "A magician."
She narrowed her eyes and him. He could tell that she wanted to attack him right there. Disable him and drag him away in order to conduct a full interrogation. But something held her back. Instead of unleashing a magical assault, Tharja rose to her feet and clasped her black tome in her arms.
"I will be seeing you soon." She said.
As she passed by him, Ben heard her whisper something that made his blood go cold.
"Very soon, Obi Wan Kenobi."
And chapter! I've been wanting to get this chapter done for a while now! And I finally got to the part of the story where it was perfect. We get some fun moments with Ben and the crew. Their shenanigans have kept them alive and hidden for now. But our newest character may have found them out already. Tharja is a smart girl after all. Her and Ben will have a… unique relationship to say the least. It will be fun to write their interactions. Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!