A/N: I OWN NOTHING OF DREAMFALL/DREAMFALL CHAPTERS OR STAR WARS REBELS! ALL RIGHTS GO TO THEIR CREATORS!
Chapter 7: The Yaga
Crow landed on the edge of the stage and looked at Ezra. "I did not see that coming."
"I guess the Azadi aren't fans of creepy puppet shows either," Crow responded.
"I think it had more to do with him being a wizard. But what now? He was my only lead to the soul-stone," Ezra told the bird. "All I have is something about a 'Yaga' and Riverwood."
"Riverwood? I know Riverwood. I've been to Riverwood! If it's Riverwood you need, I know how to get to Riverwood," Crow responded.
"Really? And what about the Yaga? The Wicked Witch?" Ezra asked.
"I don't know anything about Yagas, but I do know something about witches in Riverwood. On my last trip there, we had a close encounter with one of them," Crow replied. "That witch is toast, of course, but I can probably find my way back to Riverwood. It's north. We go north! Wait, which way is up? Yeah, north!"
"Alright. That's something, at least. Better than nothing," Ezra responded. "We just need to find a way to go north that doesn't involve me walking all the way."
"Or me flying. I'm not flying all that way. I tire easily," Crow responded. "Wait, I feel a cunning plan coming on. Follow me, Ezra!"
"Uh…" Ezra muttered getting a bad feeling.
"It's either a cunning plan, or I need the toilet. But I'm sure it's a cunning plan!" Crow responded.
"Alright," Ezra agreed and followed the bird.
. . .
Ezra was on a creature that was like a mix of a giant beast with a long neck and a turtle shelled back. It walked on four legs and had an elongated face.
Ezra looked at Crow who was sitting on the creature's head. "I can't believe you were able to pull off the voice and the whole fake hand thing," he told the bird.
"That hat looked great on you!" Crow complimented.
"Sure. Though, I'm not so sure about the beard. My face is still itchy," Ezra responded. He sighed. "Speaking of faces, I can never show mine in Marcuria again, especially after that last bit we did."
"If everything goes well, you won't have to!" Crow reassured.
"At least we have a ride," Ezra responded. "Can I really trust this thing?"
"They're docile cows, the Elgwan. Just leave it to me," Crow replied. He flipped around so he was facing forward and called to the creature, "Mush, Daisy! Mush!" It growled at him and Ezra could feel a bit of annoyance off the Elgwan using the Force.
"Uh, easy, Crow. I think you're upsetting her," Ezra told the bird.
"I'll, uh, I'll leave the cowboying to you. I'll fly ahead and scout the terrain instead," Crow responded. "Don't lose sight of me!" He then took to the air.
. . .
They soon came into a large forest. Birds' chirps sounded out in the air and trees' leaves were rustling in the wind. The sun's light shined through the trees' leaves, creating a vibrant, delicate design on the ground. Crow was back on the head of the Elgwan with Ezra on its back. Suddenly, the Elgwan began to freak out and tossed Ezra and Crow off of it before running away.
"Well, that hurt," Ezra commented brushing himself off.
"Never trust an Elgwan! Cowardly cows," Crow responded.
"Something spooked it. What next?" Ezra asked.
"This place looks familiar," Crow replied. "I think we're close. I think we're-"
Crow was cut off as a small, furry creature that looked similar to a walking, talking, clothed mole came up, yelling, "Leave! Go! I'll call the others!" His voice sounded so young. Not like a child, but like a young teenager.
"Whoa, hey! I'm friendly," Ezra assured. "I'm not going to hurt you."
"You're human. You can't be friend-" he stopped. He noticed Crow. "Bird? Crow bird?"
"Hello," was all Crow responded with. But suddenly, he seemed to realize something. "Hey, you're that fretful, furry thing we met the first time we came through here. Ben… Franklin?"
"Ben-Bandu. This isn't the same human who accompanied last time," Ben-Bandu replied.
"This is my new human. She's mostly harmless," Crow responded. "Say hello, Ezra. Don't be rude."
"Uh, hi," Ezra greeted.
"Hello. Are you the new Bandu-Embata?" Ben-Bandu asked.
"Bamboo-what? No? I have no idea. I'm Ezra," the Padawan replied.
"You're a Dreamer," Ben-Bandu realized.
"So they keep saying. I'm not very good at it," Ezra responded. "How did you know that?"
"We live close to the Dreaming here Her dreams surround us," Ben-Bandu replied. "The Yaga."
"That's it! That's the one we're looking for, right, Ezra? The Yaga!" Crow exclaimed.
"You're… You're looking for the Yaga? On purpose?!" Ben-Bandu responded astonished. "Are you mad?"
"Oh, I'm not. Him, I'm not so sure about," Crow replied.
"Hey!" Ezra retorted to Crow. He sighed and returned his attention to Ben-Bandu. "You know the Yaga?"
"She lives in this forest. We do not speak Her name. She's… She's mean," the creature replied.
"Can you take us to her?" Ezra asked.
"You are mad! She doesn't like visitors! She eats visitors!" Ben-Bandu retorted.
"Sounds friendly. But we don't have a choice. She has the soul-stone," Ezra responded. "Besides, I can take care of myself."
"The soul-stone? I've heard of the soul-stone. The Yaga took it from the fallen fortress of her warlock," Ben-Bandu responded.
"Warlock? Roper Klacks worked for the Yaga?" Crow asked.
"They all did. The Gribbler, Klacks, all the evil witches and warlocks of the Northlands. But they're gone now… just like my people," Ben-Bandu explained. "April Ryan imprisoned the warlock and killed the witch. She saved us all, but then… Then the Azadi came with sharp blades and metal tubes that spewed fire. They murdered most of us. Some fled east. I'm the only one left here now."
"The more I get to know the Azadi, the more I get to wanting them gone," Ezra responded. "I'm sorry about that, Ben-Bandu."
"One day they'll come back, all the surviving Banda. Until then, I watch over their burrows. And I sing. For them. For all of us," Ben-Bandu explained, letting Ezra know his species was called a Banda. "This soul-stone… It's important?"
"Very," Ezra answered. "You'll use it to fight the Azadi?"
"That's part of it, yes," Ezra replied, but he wasn't sure how much he could keep that answer true.
"I'll take you to the Yaga. Or, as close as I dare go to Her lair, anyways," Ben-Bandu responded, finally agreeing to helping them.
"Great," Crow responded sarcastically. "I was expecting you to say no. And by 'expecting' I mean 'hoping'."
Ben-Bandu looked at Ezra. "Does the bird always speak like that?" he asked the Padawan.
"Yeah, pretty much. Unfortunately," Ezra answered. "Lead the way, Ben." He and Crow then followed the Banda to a ridge where the small creature stopped.
"The Yaga's beyond the ridge. Once you cross that, you're in Her realm," Ben-Bandu told the two travelers.
"You're not coming?" Ezra questioned.
"Did you not hear me when I said She was hungry?" Ben-Bandu retorted. "No, I'm not coming with you. The walls of that place are thin, and she can smell my magic."
"A wise decision, tiny man," Crow responded. "Come on, Ezra. Let's turn around and head back with Ben-Ben. Maybe catch a fat squirrel and roast it for dinner."
"This is what we came here for! If we don't get the soul-stone-" Ezra was cut off.
"Everyone dies, the world ends, no more Christmases, blah, blah, blah," Crow finished in annoyance. "I'm so sick of walking into one perilous scenario after another. After we're done with this one, no more adventures, I swear to the feathered gods of old."
"You said you were going to stay before we first left the Journeyman Inn and still came along," Ezra responded with a grin. Crow sighed in defeat.
Ben-Bandu then said turning the two's attention to the Banda, "You'll know you're there when you see the Gribbler's old house. She was the witch who lived here before. The Gribbler served the Yaga, and that's where She came through from the Beyond."
"Will you wait for us, Ben?" Ezra asked.
"I'll wait until nightfall, but if you're not back by then…" he trailed off.
"Don't worry, we'll be back," Ezra assured.
"And I had such a craving for a crispy squirrel," Crow commented before following Ezra in.
The Padawan slowly walked through the dark corridors of the walkway. There was some light here and there, but not much. As they reached a turn, over a dozen black birds sprang up and flew off making Crow exclaim, "Mother of ravens! I don't feel very welcome. I mean, this isn't just a bad sign. It's all the bad signs, all at once. Like a grab-bag of ill omens. There are plenty of stones lying about. Let's just pick one and pretend it's the soul-stone. It's not like anyone would know what it's supposed to look like." Ezra sighed at Crow's cowardliness.
Ezra continued to walk forward. He passed over a bridge and walked through a gate. As soon as he passed through, though, it slammed shut, freaking Crow out more. Suddenly, he heard young voices whispering, "Go… Leave… Turn around! Don't come any further… She's here… She's dangerous…" Ezra finally turned the last corner to see a large area. A house was in the distance and had a bridge leading to it over shallow, murky water with large, spiked stones poking out from the ground. Around the area were blue beings that seemed like souls.
'I feel strange,' Ezra thought. 'I remember, back when I was in my two month long coma… It's like Storytime. Must be on the Border between waking and dreams.'
"The Wicked Witch is gone. But She is here now…" continued the voices. "She'll eat you up… Like She ate all of us… She tricked us… She trapped us… She cooked us… She ate us… We're the children that never left…" Ezra moved weeds out of the way of a door that led into the house. "It's too late to save us… Save yourself! Go!"
However, Ezra ignored their warnings and knocked on the door. A powerful voice that echoed with three different voices yelled, "Who bothers me?! Who bothers the Yaga?!"
"Okay, not just a house after all," Ezra muttered. He then called to the voices, "You have something that isn't yours."
"Leave monkey," the Yaga ordered.
"Not until you give me the soul-stone," Ezra defied.
"We do not know what you speak of," the Yaga denied.
"Whoa, my whole body's tingling," Ezra commented looking at his hands and arms. "These are the marks from Storytime that I had. I can change things. I can manipulate this dream." He noticed outlines and shapes were on his body now. "I know what I have to do. I think." He took a deep breath and sensed out, using his re-found power. "There are… three minds in there. But which one is the Yaga's? I can hear several voices, all of them are angry. It's so loud and strong. I can't… I can't keep listening. She's too strong." Suddenly a voice yelled out in fury before the house moved out from the ground and was found to be on top of a giant, carnivorous looking creature's head that had six eyes. It roared and snarled at him.
"We are at the end of things," came the three voices. It went to bite him, but instead the long bottom tip of its jaw pressed against him and pushed him into a stone spike. "I warned you."
"Just… let me go!" Ezra ordered. He used the Force and began to press her back off of him. The door on her head snapped off and was thrown off making her roar back in pain.
"I told you to leave," she stated. She suddenly, began to hang her head. "Now I feed!" However, Ezra used a Force-jump and landed next to the door way. The Yaga tried flinging Ezra off, but he held on before flinging himself into the doorway.
Inside, it was all darkness with a pink-purple stone standing in the distance. "This is great," Ezra commented sarcastically. "The sky… it looks strange, too. Like Storytime's but... Older." He began to walk forward and towards the stone. Just as he was about to reach it, it transported farther away. Ezra followed it slowly and cautiously.
"Aren't you a clever monkey," stated one female voice.
"Hush, sister. Don't speak to it. Just let it lose itself in the darkness. It'll weaken and then we can eat it," stated another female voice.
"It'll probably taste honey sweet, like a newborn babe," a first agreed.
"Do not underestimate this one, sisters. There's something different about it," a third told the other two.
"Hello?" Ezra called. He got near the stone again but it just bounced away as what was seeming to be usual.
"Maybe not so clever after all," the third stated.
"We're hungry. We need to it," the second commented.
"Not long now. You must be tired, monkey. Your eyes grow heavy. Sleep, we'll watch over you," the first suggested.
"Come out!" Ezra ordered.
He continued to follow the stone and the second asked, "Is it not asleep yet? Lie down and shut your eyes, monkey. Let us feed!"
"No," Ezra refused.
The first gasped. "It answers back, like a thing with a mind of its own. A very clever monkey," she stated.
"This one has spirit. And something else. Something powerful," the third stated.
Ezra got close to it and was about to pick it up since it didn't move for the moment. But in the next, it shot away and a giant fast of a woman appeared. In the first voice, she stated, "You're a Dreamer."
"And you're the Wicked Witch of-" Ezra was cut off by her.
"Now, now. There's no need for insults. We are-" she stopped before red light shown and the three voices said, "the Yaga." The first then commented, "No monkey has ever been here before. We're curious about you."
"We?" Ezra questioned not seeing anyone else.
The face then turned to another, different face. "The Sisters," she answered.
It returned to the first. "Baeb," she stated.
"Ayea," stated the second.
"Gh'aa," stated the third, changing to an elder looking face.
"Baeb, Ay-" Ezra began to list but realized something. "Baba Yaga."
It returned to the first. "Older than time. Older than memory. Old as darkness. Always three," Baeb stated.
Second face. "Not always, sister. In the beginning, Yaga was one. And then everything unraveled," Ayea stated.
Baeb's face. "Light came, worlds were born, monkeys bred and became legions. And the One became Three," she stated.
Ayea's face. "You are from across the Divide. A world ruled by machines," she stated.
"That's right. But not just my home world. Almost every world out there relies on machines that I know of," Ezra responded.
Gh'aa's face appeared. "But you're not really here at all. Dreaming," she stated.
"I guess," Ezra answered.
"We thought there was only one Dreamer," Gh'aa commented.
"Well, you were wrong," Ezra responded, but with a kind voice as to not make the witch angry.
Ayea, "Something made you. That's interesting. We didn't see this coming. We do so love surprises."
Baeb, "What do you want from us, monkey?"
"The soul-stone. You stole it," Ezra answered.
"Lux stole it first. Only fair that we stole it back," Baeb responded. "What do you want with it?"
"To bring it back to where it belongs. To cure Lux. Lux is the-" Ezra began but couldn't finish due to Ayea cutting him off.
"Lux is the First Dreamer. We know. Oh, we know," she stated. "You cannot teach us things, monkey. We were there in the darkness, in the time before time, before all this terrible brightness, befor you monkeys spoiled it. We had the soul-stone then. It fed us and made us strong. But Lux took it so Lux could Dream. We were there when Lux dreamed the First Dream and the stars were born and everything came apart. If we give you the stone, we fade from memory. We will be forgotten. It's all that anchors us when there's no one left to worship and fear us."
"But, they do worship you, don't they? In the city, they built statues to the Wicker Witch," Ezra told her.
"The Wicker Witch!" they all exclaimed in what seemed like fury.
Ayea then said, "A bedtime story. A spineless fairy tale for nestlings. No one truly fears the Yaga anymore. Our power is diminished."
"I don't know. As much as I would hate to admit it being a Jedi apprentice, people need darkness. They need to be frightened sometimes. In some worlds, scary is popular," Ezra responded.
"Playthings, you have. We are less than we were. We remember feeding, our stomachs bloated with flesh and fear," Ayea stated.
"Things change," Ezra responded. "I know that."
Baeb then suggested, "Maybe, instead of giving you the soul-stone, we eat you up. All your delicious memories, all your dreaming powers. Your soul will keep us warm and sated."
"How's that going to help anyone?" Ezra asked.
"Help? What makes you think we'll help?" Baeb replied. "We owe the universe nothing monkey. We owe Lux nothing. Why should we care if the Dream ends? Perhaps if you can give us a little morsel, a taste of you. What can you offer us?"
"Offer?" Ezra replied.
"A sin. A secret. Something dark. Something you keep deep inside and fear to reveal," Baeb explained.
"I…" Ezra took a deep breath. "I'm afraid of a Sith Lord from where I come from. Darth Vader. I'm afraid he will be too much for Kanan and I and we'll end up dead."
"Gutless monkey, afraid to face possibilities. The fear is strong. It throbs like a pumping heart. A proper morsel, mouthwatering, but this satisfies no hunger. We want more!" Baeb responded.
"I'm afraid of how my parents died. I was told they were killed trying to fight the oppressors of my world, but I'm afraid there was more to it than that. I'm afraid of what truly happened to them," Ezra admitted.
Ayea then stated, "We will take this little piece of you. It belongs to us now, and you'll have no memory of it."
"And in exchange, you'll give me the soul-stone?" Ezra asked.
"We will not. We made no promises. The soul-stone is ours. We need it," Ayea refused.
"If you do that, you won't just be destroying everything and everyone. You'll be alone," Ezra told them. "I know the feeling of being alone. But who will worship and fear you when they're all gone?"
"So what else can you offer us, monkey? What can you give of yourself that to prove that this matters?" Baeb asked.
"I don't know," Ezra admitted.
"You demand that we give up the thing that feeds us and keeps us warm, and you cannot make a similar sacrifice?" Baeb asked.
"No, I can't. I don't have what you're asking for," Ezra replied. "I'm human. I've made terrible decisions, but I don't linger on those decisions. I move forward and live with the consequences. Shame, anger, disappointment, regret. That's not what feeds me. I survive because I let go, every day. Because I have hope and faith in the future. Not because I look back. That goes for most people. And all I want is to give those people a chance to make their own choices, both good and bad, and carry on living and learning. If that's not enough for you, then I have nothing. And if I don't- If I fail to bring the soul-stone to the First Dreamer, Lux dies. The Dream ends. There will be no one around to remember any of us or the choices we've made that brought us here. It all hinges on this moment in time."
Gh'aa then appeared and said, "We know this, little monkey. This is why we are giving you the soul-stone. But you must do one thing for us in return."
"What?" Ezra asked.
"You must remember us, when the dream is in you. The world needs us," she answered. "Without the Sisters, without the Yaga, there is no fear. No imagination. Every dream needs a nightmare."
"I don't think I would even be able to forget. Even if I tried," Ezra agreed. "I'll remember you."
Gh'aa, "Good."
Ayea, "Good."
Baeb, "Good" The first of the Sisters pulled out of the soul-stone and handed it to Ezra. "Here is the soul-stone. Take it. Use it to wake Lux. We would have done it ourselves, but the Dreamer-monkey is the only one with that power."
"How do I get to Lux?" Ezra asked.
"Someone's coming. Little furry thing. They will gift you a beast to ride. Go to Lux. You will feel Lux, like a lantern in the dark. Follow the light," Baeb explained. "Save the Dream, Dreamer. Become One with the First."
"What does that mean?" Ezra asked.
"You'll find out," Baeb answered.
Gh'aa then stated, "And, clever monkey, beware the wizard of lies."
Baeb then added, "He schemes. He plots. He wishes to remake the world."
Ayea, "He wears a mask. He harbors ambition. He always did. But now-"
Gh'aa, "There's something in him. It's a dangerous thing, little monkey. Watch out."
Then, all three together said, "Now leave!" They then disappeared.
Ezra slowly walked out of the space and through the door with the soul-stone in hand. Crow landed on a branch next to the rock house. "Where were you?" he asked the bird.
"I have a thing about huge monster houses. I don't like them," Crow explained.
Ezra groaned in annoyance. "Anyway…" he trailed off.
"Let's go back and find the furry little halfling-thing again. I bet you he didn't wait for us. I bet you he's long gone," Crow suggested.
A voice then asked, "She's letting us go! What did you do? We're free! Time to go! Thank you, Dreamer. Find Lux. Save the Dream." They then went silent as Ezra left the area.
When he came out of the gorge, he saw another Banda, only older than Ben-Bandu and was female, on a weird creature. She looked at Ben who was standing on the ground and asked, "Is this the one?"
"That's him. That's Ezra," Ben answered.
"You face Yaga and live. This is un-possible. Who are you?" the Banda asked.
"Who are you?" Ezra asked back.
"I'm Mole. Not long ago, I was terror of Marcurian underworld. Now I'm last of Banda," she explained. "Together with little one here, of course. So. How you survive Yaga? You strike bargain like witches of old? Sell your self to Yaga for freedom and power? Do you serve Yaga now?"
"I don't serve anyone. And no bargain. I just…" Ezra trailed off. "Who is the Yaga?"
"I only know what Elders tell me when I was child, and I only ever encounter Yaga's servants. One of them live in forest, before. She was Gribbler. Twisted, ancient, evil thing," Mole explained. "No one but Yaga know what Yaga truly is. Those who face her never come home. Aside from you. My grandmother tell me Yaga was born before the beginning of time. Lux and Yaga, light and dark. Dream and nightmare. Balance is in everything, human. When our world take shape, so did Yaga. One became Three. Three sisters. Youth, age, decay. All aspects of life. More than the First Dreamer, Yaga understand life. She understand mortality. Mortality in her blood. Maybe why she hate the living so much, why she grew mean and hungry. She spread her will across the world, into witches and warlocks, sorcerers and necromancers, the weak and the malleable. But as old magic fade, so do Yaga. Wizard Klacks and Gribbler were two of her last servants, and April Ryan defeated them both. After that, they say, Yaga was diminished. Now Wicker Witch of the North is joke to humans of Marcuria. They remember nothing of what she was. They never see their young eaten by night. But Yaga is not the night that threatens world now. Her darkness is different darkness, one that balances light. Necessary darkness. She is nightmare that feeds imagination. The other darkness… Well, other darkness is deeper, final. A black fire that spreads and burns until nothing is left. Until time itself is ashes. Even Yaga fear this darkness."
"I think that's why she let me go. So I can help," Ezra told the elder Banda.
"You got the soul-stone?" Ben asked.
"You carry soul-stone? What soul-stone?" Mole asked.
"You can trust Bandu-Ma-Seri, Ezra. She is an Elder. She returned from exile to help me find those who survived," Ben told the human.
"I have Lux's soul-stone. I need to take it north, to the Oular," Ezra explained.
"Oular? Why Oular?" Mole asked.
"You heard of them?" Ezra replied.
"I heard of Oular, in stories. Ancient people. Inhabit ruins of their own civilization, high in Border Mountains. You know where to go?" Mole explained.
"I've seen a map. They live on Cloud Peak, in the mountains of Yehdra," Ezra explained.
"Maps deceive. Go north, then west. A week's journey on foot, before you start to climb," Mole responded.
"We don't have a week," Ezra retorted.
"Rushing, rushing. Rushing into things is unwise," Mole responded. "You carry soul-stone to Oular for what reason?"
"To return it to the First Dreamer," Ezra explained.
"Lux is with Oular?" Mole asked.
"So my visions tell me," Ezra answered.
"Your visions…" Mole responded.
"I know it's hard to believe, but I'm-" Ezra began but Mole cut him off.
"I believe. I believe. No need to promise, story too unbelievable for Mole not to believe," she told him. She got off her mount. "Take Leapfur, human. Ride north, swift as wind. You will reach mountains by first light tomorrow. Leapfur can climb, at least part of way. You'll be with Oular in less than two days."
"She said someone would come. But is that thing safe? I don't know how to ride it," Ezra responded.
"Not to worry, Leapfur know well enough for both of you," Mole assured.
"What will you do without a mount?" Ezra asked.
"We use feet. Moles not in rush. We walk slowly so that those of Banda who still live can hear us coming and meet us," Mole explained.
"We're going east, Ezra. We're following the Banda who fled the Azadi. Maybe they still live, maybe they-" Mole cut Ben off.
"We will find them, little one," she assured. She looked back at Ezra. "Take beast. Go north. Do what needs doing. I feel darkness coming, black fire. Cold as ocean. Perhaps you can stop this, Dreamer. Nothing lost, nothing gained."
Ezra neared the Leapfur when Ben called, "Goodbye, Ezra."
"Thank you, Ben. Good luck, too. I hope you find your people again," he responded. He then boarded the Leapfur and took off.