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Under the barren landscapes of the molten planet, Eden Abren drowns beneath the currents of all-consuming darkness. Her boots squelch with the dampness of the water trickling through the sewers, but her drenched feet are but a distant thought within her agonised mind. A pathetic beam of light tries fruitlessly to combat the darkness, acting as their only guide through the maze-like tunnels they stumble through. But regardless of the conjured attempts of the group, they are truly, and utterly lost; left only to fight an uphill battle without the guidance of the Mandalorian.
Nestled within a bundle of cloth is the child, pressed tenderly against the chest of Eden Abren. His head rests against her heart, the thunderous beating echoing within his eardrums, providing but a spark of comfort to the youngling. Her dulled gaze remains frozen upon the small creature within her arms, terrified that, if she allows her eyes to wander for even a moment, he would dissipate, and she would lose him, too.
A sorrowful symphony of coos echoes from the child, as if it could sense the grief radiating from the woman before him. With a tiny, shaking hand, he outstretched his palm toward the necklace hung around Eden's neck; his fingers wrapping gently around the pendant. A hint of misery erupts within the depths of Eden as the sight catches within her eyes, the necklace of which he plays with being the one Din had gifted her within their final encounter.
Painful tears sting within her eyes, but she cannot find the energy to allow yet another droplet to shed. Within the depths of her crumbled heart, something was missing; a piece of herself she'd left behind with Din. Without it, a hollowness crept up on her, swallowing her whole. It had stolen her willpower, condemning it to death alongside him. In the wake of danger that threatens them once more, the only notion within Eden's mind that keeps her afloat is the child. No matter how much it tears her apart, she could not yet give up, not until the child is safe.
The distant sensation of a hand being placed upon her shoulder sends a rattle through Eden's bones, but she does not attempt to move. From the familiarity of the soft touch, Eden was led to believe it had been Cara's hand. A nauseating empathy seeps from the gesture, yet it brings no ounce of peace to Eden; she doubted anything but a miracle could.
But, on that dreaded day, fate decided to offer her one, lonesome miracle.
The brittle silence upon them snaps as footsteps catch within their ears; the clinking of metal erupting from behind them. Their bodies whip around toward the sound, Greef and Cara raising their blasters, while Eden's protective grip around the child strengthens. From around the corner, a second beam of light shines, disrupting the all-consuming dark swelling around them. And, as the approaching footfall grows clearer, Eden can make out the clanking of metal upon metal. Within their sights, IG-11 appears, the weakened Din stumbling shortly after him.
