"...aina.. Lai... Ela.. Elaina." A voice whispered soothingly, drawing her eyes to open, but what she saw was not what she remembered. What DID she recall? A barren world.. A battle, lightsabers flashing.. Kylo. Then she shivered from the pain that had taken hold, the voice, the darkness, then nothing.
She peered around, rubbing at her eyes. Where was she?
She lowered her hand, placing her arms behind her to support her, legs laid out before her. She was in a field of flowers, the brilliant colors overwhelming her vision.
Something touched her left shoulder and she turned, peering up into the smiling face of a bearded man with a deep robe.
He offered her a hand and she accepted it hesitantly, letting him help her to her feet. She felt.. at peace around this stranger.
A gentle breeze trickled by, caressing her skin and face with its touch.
"Elaina.. You've grown into such a beautiful young lady." The man said, his beaming smile sad as he clasped her cheeks between his hands.
Tears streamed down her face. "Am I dead?" She didn't even realize that she was crying.
He thumbed away her tears, shaking his head with a chuckle. "No, my dear girl, you are not."
"Where.. where am I then?"
He released her face, took her hand and led her to a circle of ground without flowers. Two rocks sat in the center and he drew them over to take a seat.
"The force is strong in you. It runs in your family. I'm speaking to you in your dreams." He explained, studying her facial features. "You look just like your mother.."
Confusion radiated from her as she arched a brow. "You knew my mother?" She paused, considering his gentle smile. "Who are you?"
He grasp her hands, holding them gently. "As fond as my people were with loops and bounds.. I always felt the truth was easier straight and narrow. You're my great-granddaughter. Your mother was my granddaughter. My name is Obi-Wan Kenobi and I was a Jedi in life. Though I am now one with the force."
Realization cleared her glassy eyes. "Master Luke mentioned you, said you were once his mentor." She said sadly, recalling the last time she and Luke had spoken. It had ended on bad terms and she lived with that regret when he vanished. "I don't know what to do, master Jedi." Her tone held her frustration.
"I can't tell you how to live your life, that is not my right. But you must do it on your own terms, not those of another. The dark side of the force is powerful, it seduces even the strongest. It snuffs out the light inside the heart and reduces them to a shell of who they were. A man, or woman, driven by anger, sorrow, is a life of darkness and pain."
"Like.. Darth Vader?" She could see memories flashing in Kenobi's eyes. The field changed and she was suddenly standing on a section of ground raised beside a flowing river of molten lava, the heat causing flames to rise and fall in various spurts. Two forms fought over the lava on chunks of floating platforms.
"Anakin was a powerful Jedi. He was an only son of a Tatooine slave. My master Qui-Gon Jinn and I took him in, trained him when he exhibited force sensitivity. The boy was quite talented, a fast learner and very intelligent. My master saw that, he saw the best in people.. I'm saddened my master didn't get to help teach and guide the boy. The Sith Darth Maul took his life. The boy grew under my teachings."
He took a pause, the scene shifting to show a dirty boy following two robed men. It changed to reveal a circular metal room, a young Kenobi rushing forth as the red-horned Sith stabbed the tall Jedi.
"You see there was a prophecy. It said 'In the time of greatest despair, a child shall be born who will destroy the Sith and bring balance to the Force'. But Anakin was tainted by someone he called a friend, the Senator Palpatine.. our hidden Sith. He twisted him.. turned him into an angry weapon that killed so many for him, for the Empire."
He dragged a hand down his face as the scene changed to show Anakin raising his saber in a room full of robed kids. Screams echoed before it showed a woman laying on a table in a white room, clearly pregnant.
"Anakin's wife, Padme, was pregnant. In his anger Anakin thought he killed her. I left Anakin for dead when he hurt Padme, betrayed us.. betrayed me. Padme died giving birth in secret, Luke.. and Leia, twins. He lived and became Darth Vader. My friend was gone.."
He drew a shaky breath.
"He was said to be the one to bring an end to the Sith. Yet he was corrupted by the Sith. He.. killed many in his path down to the dark side. In the end I couldn't defeat him. He killed me and I merged with the force. But Luke.. Luke tried.. managed to get through, to save him in the end. Anakin killed the Emperor and died."
He rubbed his face.
"But evil lurks in all forms." It switched to an image of a scarred bald guy, a black robed being kneeled before him. "Leia and Han Solo's son was tainted by the darkness much like Anakin. He was a troubled child, force sensitive. Luke tried to train him, but he couldn't. Young Ben became Kylo Ren and killed all of the others aside from you and another. You were saved by your master who clouded your existence for as long as he could. Until recent events in your life."
Another?
"Who was the other?"
He peered at her with furrowed brows. "A being named-"