i. the outsiders
At the entrance of Meevai village, a peculiar group of people arrived. Three humans or near-humans, a small droid, and a short, stout alien species called a Latero. Among the humans there was a young girl, estimated as twelve summers old, with short black hair, and skin like the locals, only on the lighter side. She was the least eccentric of the group, but the most approachable one. The other two humans look far more foreboding than the Latero and the girl. A woman with skin as white as ashes and death, and hair like moonlight. She dressed smart and light. There were only a few things on her person except for a dark jacket, pants, boots, and a sheathed dagger. Her eyes darted around when not speaking or engaging. She was always vigilant, always on the lookout for signs of danger. Her male companion was also pale compared to the villagers, but not in comparison to the deathly complexion of the woman. He was her opposite, for a fiery sun kissed his hair, and his eyes bright as the stars in the sky.
They claim to be refugees from the Galactic Empire, the galaxy's new masters after the war between the Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems. They came in search of fuel, food, and a place to stay. In turn, they had things to trade to the village if they had anything they so desired. Their ship crashed, marooned at a cliffside. They do not know the name of this planet, nor have they seen it on their maps. They sought shelter, and found themselves here.
The attack on the village by the raiders had long ended years ago, yet the scars were still healing. There was skepticism in the air to accept the strangers. Yet, the chief and his granddaughter welcomed them with open arms. Soon, the floodgates of hospitality of the village poured into this odd off-world group. These strangers lived among the villagers and worked as if they were one of the village's own. Through their hard work, they earned their keep of food and a warm bed. At night, the villagers and the visitors would gather around a campfire and share stories and folklore. Here, the strangers learned about Magina-the wind of life, the essence that binds all the planet's life in harmony. It was the air they breathe, the road they walked, the songs they sang. It was the stream of energy, the veins of the world. It was everything and nothing.
The Latero Greez was most useful in village life, especially with his two feet and four arms. His cooking in particular won the hearts of many of the aspiring cooks and gastronomists. The young Kata was the oldest out of all the children in Meevai, and she had taken it upon herself to protect them. She fashioned a slingshot she could use to ward off small hostile animals while the children played outside of the village proper. The small droid BD-1 enjoyed a bit more freedom than the rest of the group. When not latched on the back of his red-haired partner, he scanned points of interest, notable cultural works and artistry, and collected oral stories. The village children also squealed in joy whenever BD-1 would pass by.
Asu, the son-in-law of the village elder, noticed that the man and the woman-named Cal Kestis and Merrin-were seen together alone but only in fleeting moments, exchanging whispers and longing looks. They worked alone most of the time to conduct duties to the village. But something ties them together, almost tangible as Magina. They were intimate but a certain restless hangs between them.
In one of the nightly campfire sessions with the strangers, Asu's wife, Haru once recounted their bonding ritual and the feast that followed. It was a painful memory since it was during the tyranny of the Raiders. Yet, Haru took the good when telling the story to the young couple. Cal listened, a yearning expression on his face, and Merrin was unreadable, but there was a glint in her eyes. Asu knew his wife was planting seeds for the two to sow in the future, should they choose to pursue that path. She knew they would, for that was what the two desired the most, it was written in their hearts. It could be the answer to the question of their unrest.
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ii. the hunting party
The few days that the strangers planned for their stay in Keelia turned into a couple of weeks. Repairs for the ship were finished. They had the fuel and the resources to leave anytime, but they were waiting for a sign. Everyone had their ways of waiting. Kata enjoyed her role as a protector because she felt like she could make a change. Greez made himself right at home among the village elders. Cal was subduing his anxiety about staying too long in one place. Merrin was able to sleep well after so long.
Word arrived from another neighbouring village that a formidable mudhorn was rampaging the surrounding land. It has already killed travellers and injured many of their own. They wished not to harm it out of their deep respect for the land and its bounties, but its destruction left them with no choice. They requested warriors from Meevai village to join them in quelling the beast and restoring balance in nature. Too many have died in its violent wake, which upset the harmony of the world and the people. The first to sign up for the hunting party was a young and aspiring hunter, headstrong, confident, and brash. Cal and Merrin volunteered themselves to be part of the hunt last.
There were only a handful of warriors who were deploying but it was enough people power to fight one violent monster. They left at dawn and were joined by the other village's band of warriors. With better numbers, they tracked the mudhorn in the middle of the forest in less than a day. They startled the beast by surprise. Its scars and healing wounds told stories of the battles and of previous hunters' attempts to fell it, and how it had continued to triumph over its foes. Upon the arrival of Meevai hunters, it lashed out and cowered, and for a moment it was a pitiful creature. The hunters spread themselves out, surrounding it with their nets, swords, and spears. A few hunters wielded blaster rifles salvaged from the old Separatist ships. With the show of force right in front of it, the mudhorn was no longer forlorn; it thrashed at its place, stomping its feet, and huffed hot air through its nose in rasped breaths. Flashes of primal rage paralyzed several hunters for a few moments.
The young and excitable hunter had lowered his weapon, his mouth open. T his is him! This is the same beast who rescued me when I was a child when it was still a fledgling! He exclaimed. I recognize the notches on his horn and the missing eye. He saved me from preying birds when I was once lost in the deep forest a long time ago. It guided me back home. The hunter dropped to his knees. What happened to you, my friend?
Now there was a hesitancy among the hunters to attack the beast. The young hunter may remember the same mudhorn, but the creature did not recognize him. Even the light cast deep shadows. A decision must be made. To lay down their arms but allow themselves to be mauled, or to fight it.
One of the two strangers finally spoke. It doesn't have to come to violence , the young man Cal said. He stepped forward from the circle of hunters. The mudhorn took that as an invitation of challenge and bellowed at the sight of the red-haired traveller. Cal reached out with one of his arms and closed his eyes. The hunters raised their weapons, ready to spring from their step and into ambush upon an open opportunity.
Stand down! The young woman Merrin yelled to the hunters. Have faith.
The beast charged. A gust of wind flew past them, and the beast recoiled at an invisible hand that stopped it in its tracks. Its head trembled in all directions as if it was trying to rid itself of certain thoughts that plagued him. Cal began inching towards the beast, hand still outstretched towards it. The mudhorn moved back in response to his advance. Whatever he was doing with it, the monster detested it.
An unseen struggle between man and beast battled for a little while. The monster roared and shook its body frantically, now moving slowly but bravely toward the traveller. Beads of sweat trailed down Cal's forehead, his brows furrowed together in hard concentration. But the creature's will was stronger. It managed to break free, and now it continued to barrel down toward the stranger.
Merrin finally entered the fray and raised her two hands. Emerald mist emerged from her body and wrapped itself around the beast. The mudhorn stopped once more-just a few meters away from Cal-and it struggled against the misty spirals and sparks. Together, both subdued the rampaging creature, the witch restraining it with the powers of darkness, and the knight reaching out to its mind with the power of light.
They possessed the power of Magina! One hunter exclaimed. Many were watching in awe, only broken from the trance by the shouting. It rises! It rises!
With the combined powers of the two outsiders, the mudhorn was seduced into a deep slumber. The hunters sprang from their feet and ran close to it and cast their nets over its hulking body. They tied their limbs down to the ground, fastening large pegs through the earth. A few hunters went ahead to send word to their respective villages of the hunt's outcome. The other village chief who requested aid from the Meevai would decide the fate of the beast.
The young hunter took this quiet opportunity to go up to his long-lost friend. He placed a hand on one of its closed eyes. The mudhorn would slumber for a few days, but one day it would be hungry and would wake up. It has a strong will, Cal said to the hunters, that was why it was able to resist me for so long. But it also has a strong heart. Whatever your chief decides, have mercy on it.
The hunting party returned to Meekhai village, triumphant. The hunters reported their accounts of the foray to the village chief. In the evening, he summoned the two outsiders who joined the hunt and opened his arms in welcome. Children of Magina, thanks to you, no one in our village was harmed in the hunt, and your work with the beast is a gentle reminder that there is a choice. We wish to grant you a favour in exchange for your service in restoring balance in our valley.
The couple looked at each other, and a smile crept on Cal's face. He turned to the chief and relayed his request on behalf of both: they wished to be bonded together.
The village chief nodded. This was a privilege only enjoyed by the people of Keelia. If outsiders wanted to partake in its rituals, they must study Magina and its deep roots in this world, and win the favour of the entire village by partaking in its culture with respect and reverence. Should they fulfill these two requirements, they would be one with the people here, and thus be permitted marriage.
The chief cracked a mischievous smile. But of course, to learn more about Magina and our ways, you must take part in it. Come. Let us begin the preparations for your ceremony.
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iii. the bride and the groom
Cal and Merrin must travel to one of the planet's singing stones and say their vows. The groom was to carry his bride on a personal transport strapped on his back. The bride's feet were not to touch the soil until they arrived at the holy site. Because the bride and groom were not from this world, their pilgrimage would take them to Traveler's Song, a singing stone for travellers who wished to be recognized by the planet.
The wives and seamstresses prepared Merrin's ceremonial dress. In Meevai tradition, white was the colour of choice but it did not suit this dark witch well, nor did they think it would be a comfortable choice for her. And so they took an old Matriarch's mourning dress and refitted it to Merrin's physique. Its history, its repurposed meaning-from death to rebirth-was also attractive to Merrin's tastes. Everyone and everything deserved a second chance. When the dress was laid in front of her bed, she knelt on the floor and ran her hand down the fabric. She was happy she could help breathe new life into something else.
Cal's ceremonial clothes were simple and provided no trouble to acquire. A cream-coloured gown with geometrical patterns on the edges, a light undershirt, and cotton pants. He trimmed his ginger hair and his unruly beard, which he had let grow from the weeks staying in this world. The shadow of his facial hair remained, but it was neater for the occasion.
Tradition allowed for family and close friends to observe the journey of the bride and groom to the singing stones. Kata happily took upon this honour and dressed for the occasion, a travel-friendly tunic and skirt. The slingshot she fashioned was fastened at the side of her belt, deadly upon draw. BD-1 attached himself to the young girl's back, thrilled in anticipation. Greez chose to stay behind and dedicated himself to preparing for the feast that followed. The young couple insisted he come with them, but the old Latero kept rebuffing their request, telling them how the journey may not be good for his knees and his back. It was difficult to discern what was going on with Greez, but they had pushed enough times to know he would not budge.
Before dawn, both children of Magina donned their ceremonial clothes alone in their rooms. Outside, the villagers brought out the one-person transport made of reinforced wood from the forests, and scavenged parts from old Separatist warships and junk, ready to accommodate the bride. The carpenters fashioned it to be carried not unlike a backpack. Cal stretched the tendons of his shoulder blades, readying himself for the long road ahead while carrying his bride.
Finally, both bride and groom knelt before the village elder, and the latter drew with his finger dark lines of paint on their faces. Under their eyes, on the bridge of their noses, on their cheeks. Some of the placement of the paint partly covered Merrin's existing facial tattoos. At dawn break, they set off to the deep forest.
The path forward was marked in red paint on notable rock faces. The forest was dark with the trees and vibrant in life. Small critters darted around, some peering curiously at the small party of people passing through. Sunlight escaped through the treetops and into the warm earth, where flowers bloomed in praise of the sun's splendour. If BD-1 was interested in a particular wildlife or points of interest, he would tap Kata on the shoulder and they both would move closer to the object to scan and collect data. They took in many things including bushes, rock formations, and even colours unseen.
Cal and Merrin did not speak much to each other except to briefly exchange thoughts and stories, or they would only speak when Kata asked questions or had comments. Even the silence between them was soothing. The journey provided no incident, but the lessons of these rituals were grounding. Cal felt the burn of his muscles as the weight of his bride encumbered him after the long distance, but he was resolved to fulfill his role. Merrin used her time on the transport with introspection, tempering her impatience by not stepping down from the carrier. Since leaving her homeland she was a breaker of traditions, but here she wished to respect it. This ritual was a testament of trust between a couple wishing to bond eternally. Historically, the one who carried their love must learn the lessons of the weight of another life among themself. The other half who would sit on the carrier must learn the lessons of trusting their life to their partner. Together, they trust that they would not put each other in harm's way in a perilous journey.
They emerged from the deep forest and started climbing the rocky terrain upwards to the beginning of a tall hill. Kata walked ahead of them, scouting for possible dangers or detriments. She gasped and pointed at a striking sight from afar. A large stone monument stood out from the rest of the rocky outcrop. It was round, smooth, and dark, with red streak marks that patterned some of the stone faces. When they moved closer, natural ponds of water encircled the stone monument. Devotees of Magina built wooden platforms to make access to the sacred site over the ponds easier.
This planet was strong in Magina, but here it was where they felt its strongest. Such powerful and ancient energy was making the hairs on Kata's arms stand. Cal placed down the carrier on the wooden platform and unstrapped himself from it. He moved to the front of the carrier and offered his hand to his bride. Merrin stretched her legs out after being immobile for a long while and took her groom's hand as she dismounted from her seat. Hand-in-hand they faced the monument together. The cool wind of the midday hour blew around them, caressing Merrin's cheeks and tickling Cal's ankles. BD-1 chirped in hope and curiosity, and Kata stood by the side, watching, observing, and remembering. This too, was a lesson for her. A lesson of patience, of fellowship, of wisdom, of hope rising against all odds.
The stone monument, representative of Magina, was their officiator. Stoic but steadfast, with no mouth to speak but with wisdom to impart to those who sought it with hearts open. Thus, with everything in place, the bonding ceremony began. With hands still clasped, the bride and the groom placed their other hands on the monument. Together, they chant a simple incantation. It belonged to neither of them, but it belonged to the believers here, passed down by the elders of the elders of the elders. An incantation that spoke the universal rules of this world. We are the sky. We are the forest. We are the river. We are one.
And with hearts aligned, they echoed: Magina, may you rise.
The couple channelled their power and their belief toward the stone, and it sang a chorus. A large sphere burst from the smooth rock fissure and embraced the ravine where they stood. Kata took a step back and BD-1's head whirled in surprise. Cal and Merrin turned away from the singing stone and towards the valley. Ghosts of people in the past danced in different places scattered across the area. The wedding party bore witness to the planet's memories, of travellers in different points in time and space. They watched a friend struggling to bring their injured friend to safety. A campsite full of life and love. Devotees of Magina making the pilgrimage to the same stone to pray. And now, the bride and the groom and their family, were part of this ravine's history, together as one, a snapshot in time.
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On the journey back to the village, their conversation was spirited with exciting theories and possibilities. To these outsiders, they called Magina the Force. They understood upon arriving on this planet that they were one and the same. But through this ritual, they gain a greater understanding of what it could do beyond what they already knew. The bride and the groom were once strangers to each other and strangers to the power each wielded. And yet they were where they least expected it the most.
I understand now, your power, Merrin said. We have glimpsed the planet's memories, and it made me realize what it is like for you to glimpse the memories of the people. Everything looked crystal clear. I must admit, it is overwhelming to take in. She imagined what it would have been like to see memories of her sisters living in her coven again.
It's more than that, Merrin, Cal replied. I am often the people I find on my journey. Their thoughts, their pain, their emotions. Sometimes it is a lot to take in.
Sometimes the galaxy holds up a mirror to ourselves and it is us who interpret who we see.
But I've never seen a planet harness the power of the Force like this. For it to retain memories of the past...is the planet sentient? Are all planets like this? Did the people structure their bonding ceremonies to communicate with the planet? And the stone, I don't know where to start. Many questions raced through Cal's mind. It reminds me a lot of the power in your homeworld, Merrin. Ancient. Mysterious.
Indeed, it reminds me of home. And what say you, young Kata? Merrin peered at the side of her carrier. The young girl was skipping on large stones. BD-1 watched her step while he rode on her back. What did you learn?
Kata cracked the brightest smile Merrin ever saw on her face. I learned that I have a lot more to learn.
The wedding party took the same amount of time to travel from Traveler's Song through the deep forest and back to the village. They returned at dusk as expected, but the time passing felt so quick. At journey's end, they were greeted by a feast of flowers and food. A celebration organized by Greez himself, with the backing of a dozen of village help. It was a rambunctious gathering of friends, lovers, families, and strangers. Other villagers of the hunt had joined, as well as travellers residing on the planet. The people dance, sang, ate, and drank together, for two souls in Magina were tied for eternity. A blessing, a connection, a miracle.
Exhausted from all the effort he pulled for this party, Greez sat on a lounge chair. His four arms waved through the air as if he was conducting the orchestra. BD-1 chirred at his side, his little feet hopping side to side following the rhythm of the drums. Their rest was well deserved, after a duty fulfilled, a promise kept they swore to those who resided in the stars.
Merrin partook in the festivity with surprising enthusiasm. She taught the dance of her sisters to Kata and the villagers. The memory of her sisters would live through these people, even worlds apart, even in different cultures and societies.
Cal hung back and watched everything at the side, his shoulders relaxing. He glimpsed upon moments in space: at the warm colour of the fire lights, the food spread on the table, and Merrin's dress fluttering against the wind and her movements. All his life after the fall of the Jedi Order, he was either hiding, or always on the move. Every day had never been the same, and so it had become difficult to remember each day after another. At this moment, with the many small moments in the past, he stayed grounded in the present and treasured this memory close to his heart.
He caught Merrin's glances in the large crowd of people dancing and singing. She flicked her hand out and beckoned him to her, eyes playfully haughty, an invitation. They stood at a distance but their hearts were connected, brimming with love and light. With a grin, he moved from his spot and joined his new wife in the fray of the party.
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A luxury space yacht flew by the village. The wind that followed the ship kicked valley's bounties flying. The ship landed at a small opening in the nearby forest next to the village. A cheeky and confident Latero emerged.
It was time for the outsiders to leave. A galaxy called out for them, and it was their duty to render its people service. With a ship fueled, and its crew packed up and ready to go, they said their goodbyes. Smile marks had begun to form on Cal's cheeks. Merrin was always reserved but there was a ghost of a smile dancing on her face. Whenever the two glanced at each other, their eyes twinkled. The unrest in their hearts dissipated.
The crew of the Stinger Mantis learned many things from this world, but Meevai village learned from them as well. Such was the cycle of Keelia, to learn, relearn, unlearn. At the front gate, the chief of the village held Cal's hand in familiarity. His next words were how they knew they made an impact here, now and forever. Thank you, travellers. May the Force be with you, always.