DELIRIUM // chapter two
rising darkness ‧₊˚✩彡 🩸 🗡 🌇
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THE SHIP LANDED with a jolt, causing Zola to stumble slightly as the ramp lowered. She noticed the amount of new officers that had been stationed on the main star cruiser. Several of them lost in their data pads, tracking nearby ships. "What's all of this for?" Zola turned her head to the side as she walked alongside Ahsoka. She then looked around, taking more of a notice to the unusual behavior. "Not sure.." Her eyes scanned side to side.

There it was once again. That feeling. That eerie feeling that the darkness you had locked away, was now knocking on the door. Her heart fluttered, all she could hear was the repeating thumps. The ships lighting flickered, Zola squinted as her head pounded. "Something is happening." She whispered through shaken breaths. "We will find out soon enough, clear your mind, Zola." Ahsoka assured her.

Then and there, an familiar face made her way over to them.  "General Syndulla," Ahsoka smiled, pausing her sentence. "It's good to see you." She finished, the Twi'lek then looked over to the younger girl beside her. "Zola, i'm glad you are still with us." She chimed, patting her shoulder momentarily. "I'm afraid we lost your prisoner." She folded her hands behind her back.

     Ahsoka's head snapped in her direction, her expression tight and bold as they continued walking. "I've prepared a briefing to get you caught up." Zola had heard from in front of her. Turns out they had lots of information, some that could possibly change their lives forever.

     As they walked into the white room, two figures were placed on the hologram. Robes around their bodies and hoods over their heads. Zola looked at them, walking around the table to meet their faces. "They took out an entire security detail and scuttled one of our new starships." Hera glanced blankly at them, placing her hands on her hips. "Who are they?" She then asked.

     Zola looked to the one on her left. He was much taller than the woman on the left. A white beard painted his face, as his head was tilted up. However, his apprentice had her head down. She had white short hair, that's all Zola could see. "I don't know.." Ahsoka sighed. "Where have they gone?" Zola interrupted. "Unknown, they got what they wanted and quickly left." The Twi'lek answered her.

     "They have abilities like you both." The recording played, showing the whole scene. The girl had drawn her lightsaber, cutting down guards, as the other choked the general. Zola's eyes widened, the sound of the lightsaber hitting her ear. She would've never thought she would see the haunting crimson glow again. But as she stood here, watching the sith return to the galaxy, all she could do was stare. "These days, there are few who could wield the Force." Ahsoka stood next to Zola.

     "Perhaps one of them was once a Jedi." Huyang looks toward the three women. Zola turned her head to him, then back to the hologram. "Possibly." Ahsoka sighed once again, folding her arms in front of her. "Run a match of their lightsabers." Zola spoke. "What's their connection to Morgan Elsbeth?" Hera inquired.

     "I have known her to hire mercenaries in the past." The togruta stated. "Looks like it worked." Zola scoffed. Ahsoka understood Zola's feelings, she understood that it was hard for her to witness the end of the war, and possibly the start of a new one. She knew that exact feeling. Zola zoned out, sitting down and closing her eyes for a moment.

     Their voices drowned out, creating a bubble around her head. Zola took a deep breath, reaching out to the stars to feel her former masters presence once more. She felt great happiness, she heard the sound of laughter and lightsaber hums. These hums were not of death and tragedy, but of learning and new beginnings. With a slight tap of somebody nearby, Zola's eyes opened. "Come on." She saw Ahsoka look down at her. Hera was no longer in the room.

     "Where are we going now?" Zola got up, her eyes adjusting to the bright lights. "Lothal."

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     THE TRIP TO Lothal was short. Zola gazed down at the planet, the various grass plains and a city in the middle, with tall sky scrapers. It reminded her of Alderaan. The ship hummed and landed on a landing pad in the nearby docking bay.

     She walked down the ramp, an older man in a green cape greeted her and Ahsoka. "Zola Orden, Lothal has heard much about you." He chimed. "Governor Azadi, how pleased it is to meet you." She smiled. Zola didn't think many new of her name, other than her status as padawan of Luke Skywalker, even she didn't think it was a huge deal. She heard many stories from Luke. He had always talked about how his mother had disappeared after the fall of the republic, and how his father had brought it.

     As the three of them talked for a short few minutes, Zola looked to the incoming figure. "You missed the ceremony." Azadi's voice boomed. The woman paused, looking to her side and smiling slightly. "Was that yesterday?" She laughed. "It slipped my mind." She then shrugged. "You are missed, Sabine. Everyone was there." The governor raised his brow in blame. "Not everyone." Sabine's eyes fluttered. "Sab-" Zola was cut off by Huyang's voice. "Greetings, Sabine Wren." He bowed.

     Sabine and Zola chuckled as she then went to go hug her friend. "How long has it been?" Sabine whispered into the hug. "Too long." Zola answered her. They hadn't seen each other for two years, separated by the journey of Ahsoka. Zola pulled away from the hug, looking at her friend. "I believe I know how to find Ezra." They turned to Ahsoka, who was holding a silver orb. Was there something Zola missed as she was lost to the stars? "Come, there is much to discuss."

     She bowed her head to the Governor, who walked over to Sabine. "You're gonna wanna hear what she has to say." With that, he walked off, leaving the three of them to walk back to the ship.

     Sabine looked around. "How has it been here?" Zola chimed in, leaning on the archway wall. "Very overwhelming.. but also quiet." She answered truthfully. According to Sabine, Zola was always a beaming light, no matter what. Even as her past shared a darkness and plaguing nightmares, she found find the best in every situation. "Quiet without me of course?" Zola laughed, looking down and reminiscing how they used to laugh all hours of the day. "Obviously." Sabine smiled as the doors hissed. Ahsoka walked through the archway.

     "Do you really think you know where to find Ezra?" The girl with purple and orange hair fiddled with her gloves. "Nothing is certain." She threw her robe. "However, our enemy is activity seeking Thrawn." Ahsoka has also leaned against the archway. "Which led me to the map." Zola looked puzzled, then glanced to the ball Sabine was holding. She hadn't noticed it, too consumed in the fatal memories of her old friend.

     "Where did you find this?" She held it up. "On a world named Arcana." Ahsoka crossed her arms, blinking as she spoke. "It was a stronghold for the Witches Of Dathomir," she clicked a button, "...thousands of years ago." Ahsoka finished, walking over to the rising seating area. "Witches.. great!" Sabine smiled sarcastically. "This is getting more exciting by the minute." She sat down across from Ahsoka. Zola sat in the middle of them. "I take it these patterns have meanings?" Sabine looked to the orb.

"You have the artist's eye. Tell me what you see." Ahsoka put down a cup in front of Zola. Sabine kept glancing at it, turning it over and tracing the lines. "Well, no one would design a map you couldn't read." Zola nodded as her friend spoke. "There must be a key or codex of some sort." She shrugged.

"Perhaps this will help." Ahsoka turned on the scan of the temple. Zola glanced at the scan, four red arrows littered the sight. "So, where do you call home these days?" Sabine kept playing with the orb, sighing as she looked up from the scan. Zola brought her legs to her chest, resting her chin on her knees as she stared at the middle. "This ship serves me fine." Ahsoka gestured to the ship, which Sabine then looked to. "Still?"

"Don't you ever get tired from moving from one place to another?" Zola drank some of the water that was in her cup. "We go where we are needed." Ahsoka drank alongside her. Sabine laughed, sitting back and putting the orb on her lap. "Not always." Zola turned to her, there couldn't be a moment without some sort of argument. Things happen, and people change. "You never make things easy." Ahsoka set her cup down.

"Why should I?" Sabine paused. "You never made things easy for me, Master." Zola then perked up again. The tension is rising in this room, and she desperately wanted to claw her way out. "Lady Tano, I have an update." The door hissed and Huyang walked out. "Not now, Huyang." Ahsoka rested her elbow on the seats spine. Sabine sat up, "Go on." She smiled. Zola untucked her legs from her chin, walking into the dim room next to her.

"I see the three of you are getting reacquainted." Huyang spoke as Zola sat on the back counter. "Let's see those scans, Huyang." Zola leaned forward. "As you requested, I have fun an analysis on the lightsabers." The robot turned, pressing a button on the datapad. Zola's face shined blue as she looked at the sabers. "They are quite elegant, with several classic design motifs."

"It's all very fascinating, Huyang, but do you have any names?" Ahsoka leaned on the counter next to Zola. "Patience. This is where it gets interesting." He looked to the both of them, and then back to the datapad. "The construction and overall design are excited exactly the way I taught younglings to build a lightsaber at the Temple." Zola looked interested now. She hadn't known much about the earlier days of the Jedi, but every time it was mentioned, she always perked up to hear more about it. "Jedi trained?" She asked.

"Yes. However, this one I do not recognize" He pointed. "In the last five-hundred years, I have only known one student who built a saber such as this," Huyang kept talking. "Baylan Skoll." Ahsoka looked confused. "He disappeared at the end of the Clone Wars. Like so many Jedi." Zola thought to what Luke had told her. His mother, Rhea Antilles, who had gone off the charts the moment the Empire rose. Ahsoka knew her very well. She didn't talk about her much, as she was now a mere 'haunting memory.'

     "A master and an apprentice." Ahsoka glared. "That would be my assumption." Huyang nodded. "If both trained in the Jedi Arts, they will be formidable adversaries." Zola looked down. "Great." She whispered, looking at her nails. "Thanks Huyang." Zola hopped down from the counter, walking in front of Ahsoka outside the door.

     "Sabine, we-" Zola paused, she expected to be met with her friend sitting there at the table, but instead she was met with a flat ground and no Sabine. "The orb.." Zola looked around. Ahsoka then walked out. "Where is she?" She asked her. "I'm not sure, but she has the orb." Zola sighed. "Go find Sabine, I'll check in later." Ahsoka walked to the cockpit as Zola made her way out of the ship.

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ZOLA MADE HER WAY up the elevator of the old comm tower. The lift shook and jolted slightly as it rose, the once bright lights were now dim. As the turbo lift opened, the orange and yellow horizon was now a dusky blue and purple canvas.

"Sabine?" She called out, walking around the very top of the tower. There was a silence. The only light that was present was the old orange signal lights. Zola was aware, watching every step as she approached the door. A thump made her grab her lightsaber, illuminating a purple glow over the shadows. She heard Sabine grunt. Zola ran toward the door, eyes widening as Sabine fought an assassin droid. "Sabine!" Zola shouted, rushing forward to the droid and cutting it down.

"One of them took the orb downstairs! Follow it!" Sabine shouted as another droid got her caught up in a fight. Zola nodded, running back around to the turbo lift and pressing the button several times. She still held her lightsaber in her hand but it was not drawn. The lift shook as it landed flat on the floor, and the door slid open.

In the darkness, she could see two figures. One a robot, and the other a human. Zola squinted. "We have been looking for this, and you." The woman spoke, holding the shiny orb in her left hand. "Cant say I've had a thought about you." Zola held her lightsaber. Shin smiled, handing the orb to the droid next to her. "Oh.. but you will." She walked forward, drawing her lightsaber. The orange crimson glow burned the ground.

Zola's violet saber had a strong glow from behind her back. Her right hand on the hilt while her left hand was free and perched in front of her. Shin walked forward, holding her saber in her hand. They both walked forward, drawing toward each other like the moon longs for the sun but it stuck encircling the earth. Shin lunged forward first, intending to strike Zola, but Zola was quicker. Twisting her saber around, the violet and orange colors clashed.

     Zola spun, pushing force against Shin's lightsaber causing her to lightly stumble backward. With a grin on her face, Shin came around to meet Zola. They danced in the twilight, and the stars sang above. Zola grunted, stumbling. She was falling behind, getting frustrated. Shin got lower, spinning her saber under Zola's feet. Zola did a high flip forward, thankful for Luke teaching her this very move. She remembers Luke telling her to focus her mind, and use the force to end in victory.

     Today, the force was not present in Zola's mind. As she went to go block Shin's hit, she was met with nothing but pain. Her lightsaber behind her back and ready to strike the very darkness in front of her. But it never came. Zola looked down, a breathy and raspy gasp leaving her throat. The orange glow entered her side. Her memories flashed. This is the exact way her parents had met their untimely death. The crimson blood glow matching her parents blood on the floor. She screeched.

     "Zola!" She heard Sabine shout from behind her. Using her leftover energy, she turned around, reaching her hand out to force push Sabine into the turbo lift once more. The saber left her stomach as she fell to the ground. Zola's eyes were blurry, but as she looked up, she was met with the same face that has brought this upon her. Shin lifted Zola up, turning to the side to see a ship approaching. The last thing Zola remembered was the mumble of voices and the take off of a ship.

AUTHORS NOTE !

ZOLIN NATION HOW WE FEELIN???! Okay so I knew from the VERY beginning that I wanted Zola to be taken by Baylan and Shin. Like it just adds AMAZING events to the plot. Anyways, THE GF'S FINALLY METTTT AHHHHHH. I absolutely love this chapter, and I cannot wait to write the rest. I would like to give a huge thanks to all my readers and commenters and voters. You guys are the loves of my life. MWAH MWAH LUV YOU BYE 🤍🤍

again not proof read, so point out any mistakes and i'll fix them!