Down in the Dark (Esla)

[Faily]

"How cruel," muttered master Murah.

Outside in the hall, she could see the Sith being led away in chains. He had the look of someone who had give up all hope as he heard her words, any remaining light in his darkness snuffed out. At the end of the hall, she could see him being led to a pair of waiting Sith that looked like exeuctioners in ancient depictions on Centra, with dark hoods covering their faces and their hands stained with blood. There was only one fate awaiting this man.

"Such is the fate of anyone who courts the powers of the Dark side," said master Jaric.

[Esla Tor]

Esla gave a big blink at the sight of the Sith behind turned over to the executioners, rather surprised that her decision would have such a grave effect. She didn't think that they would actually be handing out the Sith back to his own kind personally. Would the Sith not be free to seek asylum elsewhere? And why did they suddenly rely on her decision? Maybe so they didn't have to take the weight of the decision on their shoulders?

Nevertheless, she grimaced at the outcome and said nothing further to her peers.

[Faily]

The weight of the robes felt even heavier. Maybe it felt like that for everyone. They all looked at her as if they knew how heavy they must be on her.

"Would your choice be differently now?" asked Farissa.

[Esla Tor]

It wasn't just her robes, especially when she felt her heart sink as the result of her decision. She closed her eyes and pondered on it, trying to reason if it was ultimately the best decision, despite the brutality of the outcome. Was she merely trying to find excuses for her choices or was emotion getting the better of her?

She shook her head, a bit at a loss. "I don't know...would it been a bad choice to allow the Sith in? Wouldn't we have punishments of our own?"

[Faily]

"If I answered yes to your questions, would that have changed your mind?" Farissa tossed her hair as she stood up, and the others in the room did the same, as they moved towards the two doors of the room.

There was the door where she had seen the Sith dragged off. It seemed dark yet warm. On the opposite side, another door was bright but seemingly cold.

[Esla Tor]

Esla gave a single blink at the lack of answer she was given, certainly something she had to figure out on her own than anything else. She moved to the two doors and eyed them both, almost wondering if either sensation actually meant anything. However, the Sith when off to the dark place and at least felt some responsibility to follow-up with her choice and took that door.

[Faily]

The warmth felt almost unbearable once she stepped through, and the dark was pitch black. The kind of darkness where you could not even see your own hands.

It felt like the wrong choice.

[Esla Tor]

Compared to the light and heaviness of where the came from...nothing seemed like the right choice. It just seemed like she was doing nothing right today and ultimately, perhaps her way of thinking had been flawed. At this point, it didn't matter so much as whether or not she could do the right thing...but at least she could follow through with her actions. She had control over that, at least.

Esla pressed on.

[Faily]

With those thoughts, her burdens seemed to lighten, and the robes and cloak fit comfortably, she could even see herself in the dark now.

The vision faded and the gentle light from outside lit the limestone walls of the cavern, which made parts of the cave glitter.

[Esla Tor]

Esla blinked when she found herself in the cave once more, wondering far she must have stumbled to get here. Both physically and figuratively. She squinted her eyes when she saw the light ahead of her and found herself almost instinctively wary of it, wondering if she should come out at this point.

However, she couldn't hide forever, not from her responsibilities or becoming a Jedi. Just as she did earlier with trudging through the darkness, she made her way out towards the light.

[Farissa Kho]

Farissa looked up from her own meditations as Esla stepped out into the light. "Welcome back, Esla," the knight offered warmly.

[Esla Tor]

Esla gave Farissa a small smile, one perhaps mixed with a bit of exhaustion. She hadn't gone very far but it had been a rather taxing experience, one she wasn't too sure where to dwell on first. "Thank you, Knight Farissa...it's good to be back. Uhm, how long was I gone for?"

She asked as she snapped a glance behind her for a moment.

[Farissa Kho]

Farissa cast a brief glance to the sky to gauge the light of on the sky. "About an hour or so, I'd say. You feel tired?" she asked as she looked back to the student.

[Esla Tor]

"A bit..." She said within a small sigh. "I don't know if I did very much...but it felt like a lot. I don't really know where to begin."

Her eyes narrowed on Farissa, recalling her from the experience before. She wasn't sure if she was going to get answers from Farissa, like before.

[Farissa Kho]

"Share as much as you like. Or not," her smile was warm and friendly, nothing at all like in the vision. "Many find it to be a personal experience what they see in the Vergence. But if you want to talk about it, I'm here for you."

[Esla Tor]

Esla glanced back for a moment, rather lost for a moment. Didn't Farissa have a part of the Vergence just now? It seemed so real that she wouldn't have thought something like that would be possible without the involvement of the players involved. She closed her eyes and let out a small sigh as she tried to gather her thoughts.

"I...guess I might worry about not being taken seriously as a Jedi?" She mused out loud.

[Farissa Kho]

"Oh?" she gave the young woman a curious look. "I won't say you're the first to feel that way, but may I ask why you think that?"

[Esla Tor]

That was a good question, now that she thought about it. It had her wondering if the Vergence was either a reflection of herself, a potential future or perhaps neither of the above. "I guess maybe others might not see me worthy to be a Jedi...Maybe just not others. It's still a bit surreal, being able to travel and visit these worlds...maybe make my own lightsaber soon. Have I earned this?"

[Farissa Kho]

"Hmm..." Farissa tapped her lips with a gloved finger. "Well, in a way, you're the only one who can truly decide if you have earned it. But you know, I think you'll make a fine jedi. You have a thoughtfulness to your actions that the others could learn from." At that, she chuckled and shook her head. "Or rather, you all have positive traits to learn from eachother."

[Esla Tor]

Esla smiled softly at the encouragement given by Farissa like it was a beam of sunshine. "Thank you, Knight Farissa! I think everyone here is pretty talented or knowledgeable. In a way, I feel like I'm learning both from you and the masters, as well as my peers. There's just really still so much to learn..."

A thought frown soon appeared on her. "Mmm...uhm, may I ask you another question?"