𝐒𝐏𝐈𝐑𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑

PROLOGUE

"Do you know why we dream?"

THE WARNING
OF THE VOICES

kaia zevari.
asteria.

DREAMS are often better than reality. That's a secret everyone knows. But not this one.

The cold embraced Kaia's back like a rough blanket, pinching at the goosebumps that covered the little girl's skin. Her trembling whimpers echoed through the empty room, bouncing back at her with such intensity that the young girl could hardly muffle her cries.

The stone walls around her were cracked with pain and the wounds of battle, staring down at the young girl as she wandered meekly through the corridors she'd grown to be familiar with. Red painted the walls, glass was shattered along her feet and young Kaia Zevari could see her pained expression reflecting back to her.

Her once vibrant blue hair was dulled down to an ash filled tangle of sapphire, and the brown eyes that were shining back at her were not her own.

Kaia crumbled to her knees, ignoring the way the glass dug into her knees like needles. She let her eyes close, begging silently for this nightmare to be over with already—but every time she opened her eyes—the stone walls with cracks in it continued to taunt her.

"Are you lost?" A voice asked, making Kaia nearly jump out of her skin.

Kaia wiped the snot from her nose, sniffling softly while she looked around the taunting walls. But, when her head turned every direction—the owner to the voice was never found.

"Hello?" Kaia murmurs, shifting from her spot on the floor, "Is anyone there?"

"I am here." The voice speaks once more, and Kaia wonders if she's heard an angel.

With trembling legs, Kaia tried to pinpoint the voice that spoke to her but to no avail she was greeted with the same stone walls that trapped her in this nightmare. "Who are you?" She asked, her own question bouncing back at her.

It felt like the floor beneath her began to breathe with life, "I am merely a voice." It echoes, only adding to the tornado of emotions swirling in Kaia's brain, "But I am here to help."

Kaia wraps her arms around herself, should she really trust this... voice? "How can you help me?"  She asked, letting her eyes scan the scattered glass over the floor.

"Come to Felucia."

Cold. It felt cold...

"I will show you."

Then the cold,  rough blanket returned.

THE JEDI MASTER watched from her window as the vehicles of coruscant raced past, blowing her sapphire hair out of it's natural stance. Her fingers stayed hooked together behind her back, a familiar scowl resting upon the young girl's lips. Kaia had grown accustomed to the nightmares that haunted her mind, the familiar scene of her youngling self in the middle of a lost battle wretched into her brain. But, this one had haunted the Jedi's mind like an annoying bug—preventing her from drowning herself in the softness of her pillows.

A part of her wished to go and seek Master Yoda, to ask for his help and his guidance on these 'dreams', but she knew the conversation would ultimately result in the same ending.

The force can manipulate your dreams.

Kaia Zevari groaned, wiping a hand down her face with an exasperated sigh. Her fingers curled around her chin, and it felt like a war was swarming within the young Jedi's head.

A knock on her door startled her, shaking Zevari from her thoughts. Kaia quickly recomposed herself, mumbling a quick come in before resuming her stance by the window.

"You know, I can sense you're uneasy from a parsec away." Her friend lightly scolded, shifting into the dark room Kaia loved so dearly.

Kaia laughs softly, scoffing slightly once she saw the unamused features of her friend's face, "That's only because you chose to sense me, Ahsoka."

Ahsoka shakes her head, crossing her arms while she made her way next to the unsettled Jedi, "Master-" She starts.

"Kaia."

"Kaia..." Ahsoka drags out, ignoring the amused lift of her friend's lips, "You're doing it again."

Kaia slumps her shoulder slightly, turning her eyes away from the window and to the Padawan. It was only then that Ahsoka saw the dark circles under her friend's eyes. The Padawan sighed softly, moving to sit down on the fluffy bed and patting the empty spot next to her.

Kaia hesitated.

"Ahsoka—"

Ahsoka lifted a single finger up, eyeing the woman in front of her while she slowly made her way to the bed. Kaia plopped down awkwardly, scowling at the bed as if it would suck her back up into the nightmare that had consumed her just hours before.

Ahsoka rested her hand among Kaia's shoulder, an encouraging smile resting on her brown lips, "What was it this time?"

Kaia shook her head, scoffing slightly, "It's always the same thing. I see my younger self in the middle of some stone... structure." She scrunches her eyebrows together, leaning on her knees and biting her lip softly while her mind continued to turn its gears, "But this time there was a voice."

This earns an interested glance from the padawan, "A voice?"

"Yeah." Kaia breathes out, trying to hide her trembling hands.

"Did it say anything?" Ahsoka asked.

Kaia nodded her head once, keeping her eyes glued to the wooden floor underneath them. "It was calling me... to Felucia—"

"Then what are we waiting for!?" Ahsoka shoots up from her spot on the bed, resting her hands on her hips with an eager smile.

Kaia waits for Ahsoka to say she's joking. "You're joking... right?"

Ahsoka gives her an exsaperated look, "No."

"But Ahsoka we can't just go to Felucia without the council—"

Ahsoka giggles, shining her pearly white teeth at the woman in front of her, "If there's one thing I've learned from Anakin—"

"See I don't think that's—"

"Is that sometimes you gotta go against the council's orders."

Kaia gives her a look, but with the way Ahsoka stands tall against her small slouching body, Kaia knew she wouldn't be able to change this Padawan's mind.

Kaia Zevari let out a sigh,  flopping her back onto her bed and letting her sapphire locks tangle once more. "So, what's your plan?" Kaia asked, looking at Ahsoka through her dark eyelashes.

A lopsided grin paints it's way to Ahsoka's mouth, "I think it is time you meet the 501st Legion."