There Has Been An Awakening

[Asha]

Thesh was not the spaceport it used to be. Despite being located in Ifrane's deserts, it was once a hub of activity with starships flying in and out, creating a buzz of spaceship engines around the city. Now, Thesh was a virtual ghost town. Few spacers ever came to Ifrane anymore, and even those that did rarely used Thesh. The city had been blasted to hell during the rebellion that led to the planet's freedom; but that was just so. Now, it was the perfect place to rendezvous with the larger rebellion. The Galactic Alliance.

Asha was dispatched to Thesh by her own cell. There were other rebels with her, of course—members of her cell that she trusted with her life—but this was, in the end, her mission. A simple mission, at least on paper. She was to meet with the representative the Alliance was sending and see what there was to be learned. If conditions were favorable, the Ifrane cell would join up with the main Alliance. Asha was hopeful. They needed the allies. The Sith could never be taken down with the resources they had available to them now. Eventually, they would come back; and Asha wanted to make sure they could keep Ifrane free when they did.

But apart of her also wanted to leave. Increasingly, since her family died, she felt as though she did not belong here on her homeworld. When she looked up at the stars at night, all she could think about was how wide the galaxy was. In all that space, surely there was a purpose out there waiting for her. Something larger that she could be apart of—something that mattered. And now, as she looked to the sky, an Alliance ship descending towards the deserted landing strip, she thought that it might be the chariot to carry her off towards that grander purpose.

Wind from the descending ship buffeted the small delegation, causing Asha's hair to whip wildly behind her. "Hold tight, fellas," she said as she shielded and squinted her eyes from flying sand. "Let's hope this is our lucky break." @Deviant

 

[Leah Reach]

This was her mission too. Leah was to act as an emissary of the Galactic Alliance sent forth by the new Alliance Commander, Hugo. The same man who saved her from the debacle on Dantooine, but also indirectly doomed her husband to his death. Half of her blamed the Sith Empire, the other half to the rebel extremists who unknowingly led them to the Jedi sanctuary, but a piece of her blamed Hugo too. She respected his skills as a leader and unbridled selflessness, but that selflessness was what cost the Order their most important member. If only he stayed put, if he convinced Master Reach to remain, maybe… maybe—

She closed her eyes. Such thoughts were unbecoming of a Jedi Master, even if she inherited the title only months ago, since the death of her husband. To lead the Order forward, or what was left of it, she needed to be the model future Jedi looked up to. Her powers may have lacked the strength of former Masters, but her dedication was unwavering. It was no different from the first of the Jedi, and as long as she pursued that ideal, it would only be a matter of time before she truly became a Master of the Force. For her husband and the galaxy suppressed under the rule of the Sith.

Five hundred years. Five centuries of dark side domination and the oppression of liberties once held by the Republic. Victory after victory, the Sith only grew stronger. But as weak as the Rebellion was, they were fated to return the compliment. For as long as she had breath in her body, Leah would make certain the Alliance persevered. That was the real reason why she came to Ifrane. Their successful uprising against the Empire was an inspiration to many, the Rebellion included. Recruiting them to their cause would prove essential to the eventual downfall of the Sith.

In robes of white and with her hair tucked behind her head, Leah stepped from the Alliance courier the minute it settled on the landing strip. Ignoring the desolate ruins of the port, she smiled to each and every member of the Ifrane delegation. “Greetings.” She said and offered a gracious bow. "Thank you choosing to meet with us on such short notice."

@Malon

 

[Asha]

The brief hurricane of wind over, Asha flicked her hair back over her shoulder and out of her eyes. Her first impression of this woman emissary was that she was... odd. Who wore billowing white robes like that? A senator, perhaps? Or someone disguised as one? Asha's eyes remained squinted. She was suspicious of everyone, but especially someone who dressed like that to a meeting with militants on an unknown world. The dress complimented her looks, which suggested that this woman was... calm. Too calm and serene for the type of meeting they were about to have. Nevertheless, she had orders and this was her mission. She was determined to see it through.

Her eyes lightened ever-so-slightly and she put on a thin smile; but she didn't bow, that just wasn't her style. "The pleasure is all mine," Asha said amicably. "If I'm honest, we were a little surprised to hear about your operation. The higher-ups didn't think there was a larger rebellion against the Empire alive in the galaxy." She blinked a few times as she sized the other woman up and then added. "But forgive me, where are my manners? My name is Asha. These men and myself are just envoys. A precaution. We had to be sure you were the real deal. I hope you will understand."

Was she the real deal? Asha couldn't tell. The higher-ups were convinced that these rebels were the opportunity they had all been looking for and she hoped their fate was not misplaced. Nevertheless, they could not just remain here. The longer they remained out in the open, the more dangerous the situation would become. Ifrane was free of an Imperial occupation, but that did not mean the walls no longer had ears. Or the shrubbery for that matter.

"We should move," Asha suggested. "We can discuss this further somewhere in private." She gestured for the envoy woman to follow her and began to walk, he friends in tow. They would go to the warehouse the Ifranian rebels used to talk further. In the meantime, she asked, "So why haven't we heard of a larger rebellion up until now? We could have used your help during the revolution. Why reveal yourselves now?" @Deviant

 

[Leah Reach]

This was a meeting of minds. A negotiation between two organizations with similar goals and fashioned out of the same purpose: to repel the Sith Empire. On one world or on them all, the Galactic Alliance and the rebel cell on Ifrane were one and the same. Two sides of the same coin. Even if they were militants or extremists, an ideology she had grown to detest since the bombardment of Dantooine, it was important for her to reach out. Dressing in armor or her natural advisory robes ultimately didn’t matter when the only thing on the table was talk.

Still, given the looks of the opposing rebel delegation, it seemed Leah had made the wrong choice. Perhaps she made an impression of weakness or pacifism, a trait not too welcome in a world as rebellious and defiant as Ifrane. Or her tranquil presence offered a feeling of superiority, which was never the case. While a Jedi Master and a close confidant to the Alliance Commander, she stood on equal standing with these rebels. It was their world— their victory. The Rebellion had yet to win one themselves. Plus, they requested this meeting. They were the ones in need of aid.

Her thoughts drifted back to the real focus at hand. A young woman stepped forward, exchanging a smile but not a bow. Another custom she failed to realize early on, she noted. This time, Leah made sure to listen well. In fact, the woman surprised her. She seemed a fine diplomat, even after sizing her up. A welcome introduction and genuine pleasantries: Leah half-expected a harsh, straightforward reply to get the conversation rolled to the point. Of course, she thought a moment too soon as Asha gestured her out of the open and to a neighboring warehouse. So, the negotiations would begin, and the precarious maze of diplomacy laid out to her.

“Of course, I understand.” She answered at first as they walked before introducing herself in turn. “By the way, my name is Leah— Leah Reach, and it’s a pleasure.” Another soft-spoken smile passed her lips until fading the second Asha turned the conversation on its head. The Jedi Master needed to be careful with her words now, else risk offending the Ifranian or damaging her own position.

“The Alliance was, admittedly, in dire straits. We were growing too fast, spread too thin. We had a thousand threads extended over the galaxy, but it took one for Empire to follow right into our original headquarters. Many lives were lost.” She paused and glanced elsewhere, hiding her grief. Just the thought of her husband hurt. “But we persevered. We pushed through the mess and we’re here now. Here to help, but also to ask for yours.” She looked to Asha closely. There was something else about her, but Leah overlooked the strange feeling.

“The galaxy needs hope. Your victory alone inspired a dozen worlds to rebel. Imagine if you, if we, could replicate the same results on those worlds. We can start a fire to burn the Empire into the ground, and only together.” She poured out a lot, because there was much to say. There still was. But Leah couldn't overwhelm the young woman so soon and so early into their discussion. Trust needed to be earned and faith gained. She couldn't expect Ifrane to join them just like that, but she could lead them on.

@Malon

 

[Asha]

Asha had a strange feeling about the woman she walked alongside, and she couldn't quite place what it was. There was a certain magnetism to her, as if something was drawing the younger woman to the older. A twinge of fear creeped into Asha; it felt as if her heart had suddenly jumped in her chest as she realized the familiar sensation for what it was. But the pause it caused her was obvious. Her thin smiled had dropped from her face as if she had momentarily gone into a daze. She recovered quickly—or as quickly as she could.

"Still, the Empire must not have known what you really were," Asha replied after she had thought about what the woman, Leah, had told her. The other men with her gestured them around a turn in the street and she saw the warehouse looming in the distance. "If they had known, you wouldn't be standing here today. They would never tolerate a full-scale rebellion growing right under their noses. Especially one with so many 'threads,' as you say." She was skeptical to say the least, but she had to be. Skeptical kept her alive. Kept them alive. Bind trust, even in the face of hope, got people killed. She knew that all too well. "How did you manage to hide from them for so long? Or... are you recently formed?"

She was getting to brazen, she knew. But the higher-ups would want her to be thorough. Besides, Asha knew that unanswered questions were just as insightful as answered questions if one was willing to pay close enough attention; and Asha payed attention to everything. She hung onto every word. Every gesture. Every change of inflection. They all meant something. Hope. Danger. Life. Death. And she could not bring this woman into her "home" (which is what her cell really was to her these days) until she knew which one Leah brought.

She prayed for hope and life. But she was prepared for danger and death. They arrived in front of the warehouse and two of her men pulled open the large tin gateways that acted as a door. She gestured towards the cavernous room within, her thin smile returning. "After you." @Deviant

 

[Leah Reach]

Leah felt it. The Force was quiet before, but only because she failed to see the tide rippling from the young woman. The moment she did realize it was the moment Asha did too. A sense of foreboding followed by disbelief, paranoia and uncertainty. The two locked eyes for a split second. The older woman was the first to break eye contact and played the whole ordeal off as nothing. But fireworks burst in her mind. Thoughts and actions slithered in, though her lips were sealed. She was not sure if the other woman had noticed yet, but by her awkward pause, there was no doubt about it. The Force was strong in her.

As the men departed and the women strolled under the shadow of the warehouse, Leah nodded. “You’re right. Despite the setback—“ Which was far more than that. “—we were lucky. The Empire never caught on. Even if they had, there was no reason to believe they hadn’t destroyed the whole Alliance. Because they very nearly did.” Her lips pursed, she tried to redirect her thoughts elsewhere. To the young woman, and the mysterious but familiar gift she possessed. It wasn’t hard, especially once she switched the conversation around yet again. She was very forward. For some reason, Leah didn’t mind it either.

“Recently formed?” She paused, chewing back a smile. Her mind was back to its former storm, skeptical and curious and unnerved by her question. She caught on fast, she understood what the Force was, which led the Jedi Master to another conclusion. “So, you know then. About the Force.” A conceding nod accompanied by a pair of blue eyes, warm but piercing as she tried to gauge Asha’s intentions. “You must be a Jedi, then, if you could sense my presence with such ease.” Another pause as she tiled her head. “Or I must be terrible at hiding it.”

She cursed in her head. Had she just revealed the existence of the Jedi with one slip of her tongue to a random rebel she only just met? None, not even the inner circle of the current Rebel Council save for the Alliance Commander, knew. Leah had either made a tremendous mistake, or she had just opened a window of opportunities. At least she didn’t need to worry about whether the rebel was a Sith in disguise. Had she been, the Jedi Master would have picked up their vile scent the instant she left the confines of her ship. There was good in her, she could feel it.

With her response, Leah passed the gate into the warehouse. She mentally checked for the lightsaber hidden deep under her robes. Although the Ifranian rebels could she trusted, the Jedi needed to be safe and sure. Looks could be deceiving. She knew because she was no different.

@Malon

 

[Asha]

But Asha didn't pass through the threshold. In fact, she didn't move at all. Suddenly, it was as though all of the weight in her body was centered in her feet and was preventing her from moving. And that was just from two words. The first was the "Force," which confirmed that this woman, Leah, felt the same magnetic attraction that she had. The second was "Jedi." The Jedi were dead. They had been dead for centuries. Not a single one of them was left breathing—the Empire had seen to that. So why did this woman seem to think she was one? Her stunned reaction caught the attention of her fellows, one of whom cautiously took a step towards her.

"Asha," he said, clearly unnerved. "Asha, what is it? What's wrong?"

Asha held a hand up to halt his advance. He stopped, and she said, "Leave us. All of you."

"Wha—" Her companion was clearly taken aback. "No way! That's against protocol. We're not going to—"

"Leave!" The jerk of Asha's head as she turned towards her fellows was enough to halt them, but the quiet fury in her hushed voice was enough to force them to take them a step back. "I will conduct the rest of the interview alone and return to base with her if I like her answers. I don't need you for that."

For a moment, the men seemed to stand around looking at each other as if seeking direction from each other about what to do. In the meantime, Asha returned her gaze to Leah. She didn't want to take an eye off of her. Not now. Not after everything she had just heard; and, to make matters worse, the magnetic feeling she had begun to sense moments ago was growing stronger. She couldn't seem to fight it back like she had in the past. And, as it rose, so too did her fear of it and of the woman who seemed to conjure it with such ease.

Finally, one-by-one, the men filed out, closing the door to the large warehouse behind them after Asha at last stepped through. They were alone, the woman and her. And now she intended to get some real answers out of her. "The Jedi are dead. Everybody knows that. They've been gone for five hundred years." Asha was now pacing in a circle around the woman, as if to size her up from every angle. "I don't know much about the Force except some mumbo jumbo and rumors. But you seem to know about it. And since the Jedi are dead—"

She came to a stop in front of Leah and her right hand went back; her fingers danced along the metal pommel of the vibrosword strapped to her back. The tension in the room rose dramatically, as did the feeling in Asha's gut. "—does that mean you're a Sith?"

The words hung in the air and Asha prayed they weren't true. If the rumors of a galactic-wide rebellion were lies, then the cell on Ifrane would lose its hope; and she was afraid of what would happen if that were true. But if this Leah wasn't a Sith... well, then, she was afraid of those implications as well. @Deviant

 

[Leah Reach]

She raised a brow. The younger woman was bold and forceful, her voice commanding. Even in the Force, Leah could sense her fiery spirit. Already, the other rebels who watched her carefully were lined up to leave the pair in peace. She welcomed the privacy but the silence was still deafening. The Force connected each to the other but the air was stifled. She could cut the tension with her lightsaber, still deftly hidden in her outfit and close within reach. But Leah knew better than to draw a weapon, and she knew she never had to. The Jedi Master was speaking to no Sith, but another vessel of the Force, even a Jedi Knight.

She was wrong, though. Asha was not as she expected, dispelling her hopes that there was a chance more Jedi existed beyond the scope of her husband’s findings. And now, she had unwittingly exposed the survival of the Order after five centuries. Rebel or not, the risk was apparent. However, in yet another rapid turn of events, the young woman took a step further. Instead of falling to the belief that Leah was a long lost Jedi, she instead moved to the idea that she was a Sith. The thought alone made her scoff, akin to a chuckle, at her implication. But seeing her face and the way her fingers leaned to the sheath of her blade, she knew this was no joke.

“No, no. Of course not.” She was incredulous and her tone only assured her she was no Imperial. “I’m no Sith, nor will I ever be. On the grave of my father, my husband, and every rebel life lost on Dantooine and beyond. I will sooner tear out my heart than join the Empire.” Her voice was stronger now, her resolve confirmed. “Like my mother before me, I am a Jedi.” Her shoulders were taut and head raised high, and every syllable that slipped from her tongue was dipped with pride and truth. But her eyes shined with hope as she looked to Asha, a smile forming.

“The Force flows through me. It flows through you. Tell me, how long have you known?”

@Malon

 

[Asha]

Asha's facade was collapsing fast. She was trying hard to remain skeptical, angry even; but the fear welling up inside of her was too great. It was overwhelming, in fact. She wanted to scream at this woman and call her a liar. There was no way she was a Jedi. The Jedi were gone. They were dead, and any hope they represented had died with them. She and the other rebels like her had to make up their own hope now. Still, there was that feeling... that damn feeling... and when she payed attention to it, she knew, somehow, that Leah was telling the truth.

"I don't know if it really is the Force," she confessed. Her bottom lip was quivering now and she slowly released the grip on the pommel of her weapon. There was fear in her and all she could think of was all that she had lost. Her brother. Her mother. Her father. She had lost them to monsters who used the Force, and she was afraid acknowledging the power inside of her would be one step closer to becoming one of them. "All I know is that there has always been something inside of me, since I was very young. And when I lost—" She almost lost control. Almost. But her facade held and she didn't say what she lost. To say that she had lost was enough and it was true. "When it happened, that something that's always been inside of me woke up. And I don't know how much longer I can ignore it, but I will ignore it as long as I can."

The fury returned to her. Memories were flashing behind her eyes. She saw the blood red saber. She heard its hum even as she saw the dark figure holding it looming like a specter of death in the door frame of her childhood home. Her brother lay lifeless at its feet and there were screams from further inside the home. Screams of mourning. Screams of defiance. When she returned to the present and Leah came back into focus, a single tear had made its way down Asha's face. But the look in her eyes was not that of sadness. It was of quiet anger and determination.

"Because I have seen what monsters have done with it," she continued, using a single thumb to wipe the lone tear from her cheek. "And I refuse to become one of them."

@Deviant

 

[Leah Reach]

Leah didn’t need the Force to sense the pain Asha was in. Her voice wavered in doubt, a battle raged behind her eyes, a tear rolled down one cheek. The young woman suffered as the Jedi had. She lost someone close, and that loss sparked a wildfire inside her that no amount of suppression could extinguish. But her reasons were justified. Leah understood now: Asha feared becoming the very thing she hated the most. For anyone gifted with the Force, that fear was common, and the fact that she successfully resisted that fear or loss of control only confirmed to the Jedi Master that Asha was exactly what she was looking for.

“Then you made the right choice.” She answered, her tone somber but eyes full of warmth. “I may not understand the loss you feel, but I do understand the feeling of being lost. Like an island, stranded in the middle of the sea.” Her gaze turned to the streaks of light pouring through the cracks of the warehouse rooftop. “But if you look to the horizon, I promise you, there is light. Because as long as there is the dark side there is always the light. You just need to see it to know.” Her attention returned, but something else too. Her spirit opened to the younger woman, and an outpouring of the Force, like a new dawn, surfaced.

“The Force is all around you, but all you’ve ever seen are the monsters who wield it. Of course you wouldn’t know.” She extended one hand, fingers unwinded and palm open for her to hold. Should Asha take it, Leah would continue: “Take my hand. Close your eyes. Feel it— the light. It’s always been there. It always will be.” The older Jedi opened her eyes. “If you refuse to become a monster, then join the men and women who seek to destroy them once and for all, so that no child ever befalls the same fate you have. You need a teacher to guide you and I can be that teacher.”

She explained. “We Jedi have always been here, waiting for the opportunity to strike. And now, we see that opportunity, and I see you.” Her implications were clear. What more could she say?

@Malon

 

[Asha]

Asha reluctantly accepted the woman's invitation to touch her hand and, the moment that their fingers touched, she regretted it. Suddenly, she was no longer in the warehouse. She was out in the fields of Ifrane and could feel every life form, from the lowest of insects to the largest predators, as if they were a literal part of her. It was as though she as connected to every living thing on the planet, and even those things not living. She could feel the coldness of the great rivers pouring over magnificent waterfalls against the planet's sunset; and she could feel the death buried in the grounds beneath her feet.

The sensations were too much and, yet, somehow soothing. She wondered if this might be what it felt like to feel truly alive. But that feeling was gone almost as soon as it came. Deep within her, she felt something. Anger. Terrible anger. It was a cold spot despite all the warmth. It was the anger for the Sith who had taken her family away from her, stripping her of any sense of belonging. Anger that they turned her home into a wasteland deprived of its resources and former beauty. Anger for all the lives of her comrades that they had claimed.

All that anger threatened to overwhelm her and, for the briefest of instants, she saw what it would be like to give into that anger. How good it would feel to take the lives of those who had stollen from her. And then it was her holding the red blade wth eyes burning a putrid yellow. The vision ended and Asha recoiled as though she had been electrocuted.

"I can't..." Her voice was a whisper. Her facade was gone. Fear and shame were all that remained. "Even if you are what you say you are, I just can't." She swallowed and tried to regain some semblance of her former conviction, but, alas, her voice remained shaky. "I've seen what I will become if I allow this power in. I cannot become that. I will not become that."

She looked the woman up and down. This Leah definitely had the same power that she did. The Force. That either made her a Jedi, like she said she was, or a Sith that was damn good at acting. Asha didn't think the woman meant her harm, but she just couldn't be certain. And, yet, if Leah was truly a Jedi... well, then the decision was out of her hands.

"I don't know if I truly believe you're a Jedi yet. They have been gone for so long and I have lost too much by trusting the wrong people at the wrong times." Slowly, she was beginning to regain her sense of focus and her stern demeanor. "But it isn't up for me to decide. If you are what you say you are, then the organization you represent is the hope our cell has been looking for. I will take you to the leaders of our cell. They will make the final decision regarding you and your group."

She pulled out a comlink from her vest and gave it a few clicks—the all-clear signal to the rest of her group. But she still felt the electricity of the woman's touch, and the power it contained, in her finger tips; and she could not help but think that something larger had started. Something from which she could not come back. @Deviant

 

[Leah Reach]

The Force was strong in Asha. Powerful light, yet powerful darkness. Her anger was blinding, but Leah could not blame her for it. The Jedi Master knew the feeling too well. One of the only reasons she had yet to leave the Alliance since losing everything was a constant desire for retribution. If she had nothing more to lose, then she came to the conclusion that she may as well lose herself fighting the Empire. But she was still a Jedi, a servant of the light, and she sensed a similar standing with the young woman. She possessed the spirit of a true Jedi, and with guidance, Leah could make it so.

Then, she declined. Change and wonder gave way to fear and pain. Asha’s concerns for the rising darkness in her only plunged her further into its depths by denying the light. However, Leah was in no place to argue. She would not push new perspective into someone who refused to see. Instead, she would give the young woman time. The Jedi Master imagined this meeting was to be the first of many, if not the start of a strange relationship. Should her superiors decide to align themselves with the Alliance, then her work on Ifrane, and Asha’s work for the Rebellion, was only just beginning.

“Ah—“ She answered until nodding respectfully. “I understand.” Indeed, she did. The steps into the Force were not always the smoothest. It was an uphill battle, one Leah strongly believed Asha could overcome in later days. “Whether you believe me or not, the truth will remain, and so will your destiny. It’s up for you to decide when to make your way through the galaxy.” That much was clear. Even if she chose not to be a member of the Order, her purpose laid beyond the scope of Ifrane. The Jedi Master could sense greatness in her, more than any ordinary force-sensitive she ever encountered. And maybe it was because she was not so ordinary after all.

“I eagerly await their decision, then.” She said, acknowledging the end to their brief discussion. Leah trusted the other woman would keep it between themselves. The existence and survival of the Jedi was not yet ready to be revealed. If the Empire connected the dots and the Alliance was exposed, they would hunt them down to the ends of the galaxy. Then again, it wasn’t as if they were already doing just that, even if a war raged among the Sith. Something she found blissfully ironic. The Sith, given their submission to fury and power, were fated to bring about their very end. And the Galactic Alliance, or Leah, or Asha?

They were fated to see it through.

@Malon

 

[Asha]

"Thank you."

Asha wasn't sure why she said it. Perhaps because the other woman had not pushed and chose to be understand instead. Or perhaps it was because the woman had confirmed a fear she had always had—put a name to the scary power dwelling within her. Either way, she nodded once to woman and gestured for her to follow. She pulled out her comlink briefly and spoke into it. "This one checks out. I'm going to bring her in. I think... I think you're all going to like what she has to say."

Stashing the comlink away, Asha pushed open the door to the warehouse so that it was slightly ajar, allowing sunlight to filter in and giving them both enough room to squeeze out. She paused only momentarily during her task to look at Leah. "Our headquarters aren't far. I'll take you myself. It isn't much, but it's kept us safe all these years. If you tell the others what you've told me, I'm sure everything will go fine... just... don't expect them to all believe the Jedi thing. Not immediately, anyways. No one's seen a Jedi in centuries. It'll take some convincing to prove to them they're still around."

Her piece said, and the woman in tow, she slid out of the warehouse and began to make her way towards the bushes where she had stashed her speeder earlier in the day. There was room enough for two, but she was less concerned with getting back than she was on what this Leah had said. Either way, she would embrace her destiny—embrace the Force. And that bothered her because it meant that, despite her best efforts, she was going to use the power within her whether she liked it or not.

She just wondered how she would use that power. Would she embrace the goodness within herself. Could she too become a Jedi? Or would she become the dark figure from her vision—full of hatred and bathed in blood-crimson red? She shook her head of the thoughts. There was no time for self-doubt now. She still had a mission to complete. And she was going to see it through one way or another.

"Hold on," she said as she seated herself on the speeder and began to initiate the engines. "This thing's kinda old and we've got a bumpy ride ahead."

Little did she know, the bumpy ride had started the moment their fingers touched and would not end for some time to come...

End​

@Deviant