Evanescent Calling

[Feliciana Devano]

Bring Me To Life



How can you see into my eyes like open doors?
Leading you down into my core
Where Ive become so numb

Without a soul
My spirit's sleeping somewhere cold
Until you find it there and lead it back home

-CHORUS-
[Wake me up] Wake me up inside
[I cant wake up] Wake me up inside
[Save me] Call my name and save me from the dark
[Wake me up] Bid my blood to run
[I cant wake up] Before I come undone
[Save me] Save me from the nothing Ive become

Now that I know what Im without
You cant just leave me
Breathe into me and {make me real}
Bring me
To life

-CHORUS-
[Wake me up] Wake me up inside
[I cant wake up] Wake me up inside
[Save me] Call my name and save me from the dark
[Wake me up] Bid my blood to run
[I cant wake up] Before I come undone
[Save me] Save me from the nothing Ive become

{Bring me to life}
[Ive been living a lie..Theres nothing inside]
{Bring me to life}

Frozen inside without your touch
Without your love, darling
Only you are the life among the dead

[All of this I, I cant believe I couldnt see
Kept in the dark, but you were there in front of me]

Ive been sleeping a thousand years it seems
Got to open my eyes to everything

[Without a thought, without a voice, without a soul]
{Dont let me die here}(It most be something wrong)
Bring me to life

-CHORUS-
[wake me up] Wake me up inside
[I cant wake up] Wake me up inside
[Save me] Call my name and save me from the dark
[Wake me up] Bid my blood to run
[I cant wake up] Before I come undone
[Save me] Save me from the nothing Ive become

Bring me to life
[Ive been living a lie.. Theres nothing inside]
Bring me to life


- - - - -

Thunder clapped throughout the large streets and into the smaller crevices of Coruscant. Lightning etched lethal messages across the sky and torrents of rain fell in heavy sheets upon those who were outside. In an ally just off the main of downtown Coruscant City, a group of poor, homeless beggers huddled around a dying fire that was barely sheltered by the burn barrel it rested in. They held their hands above the flames and warmed themselves. A few children hugged the legs of their mothers and fathers and attempted to warm their cold noses by pushing their faces into the elder's stomachs. On the other side of the street a young man and his even younger wife leaned against one another and fed off the warmth of one another's bodies. The cold wall they sat against, though, consumed all heat they hoped to gain from the circumstance.

"You'll do as I say, whore!"

The loud voice suddenly broke through the night as a large, burly man shoved a young woman against a hard brick wall just on the other side of the begger's hide away. An audible thud resonated through the area as the back of her head made impact and the flesh was torn away. Blood soon began to trickle down the back of her neck and mix with the rain water upon her skin creating a tonic of death. Her long black hair was stringy and as the blood collected on the strands, they clumped together and began matted as he held her in place, slightly shaking her from time to time.

"NOW!"

He yelled in her face. She merely looked up, obviously worn and tired. Her bright cyan eyes were hollow and it seemed that the color had faded a bit. Dark rings had formed beneath her eyes and her face was pale. Even her cherry red lips were cracked and nearly colorless. Her olive colored skin was dirty and now blood ran down her arms and neck -- the very neck that drooped and seemed unable to hold her head up any longer.

"I -- I can't. It's -- impossible."

The man snorted and dropped the woman, catching her red dress on the way down and tearing a large hunk away from her body. She collapsed on the ground and he threw the excess piece of fabric onto her before kicking her right in the stomach. She curled up in fetal position and wrapped her arms around herself as she winced in pain. Too many tears she had cried already and despite that, a few formed and fell down her cheeks as her black hair fell over her face. Just as it did, though, the man knelt down and grabbed her chin in his hand. His grasp was tight and painful and the look in his eyes was even more so. He brought her face close to his and the words he spoke next were said with great angst and even splatters of spit.

"I don't know what's keeping me from killing you now."

He growled and shoved her face away, making her collapse into a complete heap upon the filthy ground. He rose to his feet and stomped out of the ally and into the bustling Coruscant night, leaving Feliciana Devano lying there for dead. The Dark Jedi Knight felt powerless -- helpless and lost. She wept with what energy her body had left, though at the moment she would have rather died. Life seemed to be torturing her by allowing her to hold on and she wanted nothing more than to shrivel away. She felt cold and naked -- and indeed, she was practically so. The red dress upon her body was just pieces hanging from her battered and bruised frame. Now she lay alone in the darkness, crying ever so quietly as blood and water mixed around her -- drowning her in her own misfortune. Soon, she closed her eyes and attempted to drift off in her own miserable thoughts with no hope of life left in her body or soul.

[Dasquian Belargic]

There was no rule or regulation that stated a Jedi had to patrol the streets of Coruscant, but Dasquian did so. He did this not only because he felt for the people who were so often left dozing freezing under the night sky, but because thugs, thieves and even Sith prowler the shadows. If Coruscant was dangerous during the day, it was lethal at night – though not all knew this, and often travelers or people new to the area found themselves leaving straight away, often in a body bag.

Tonight the Jedi Knight was passing by a place he would often visit, a beggars den. The people here caused little trouble, and he only stopped by to say hello and try to cheer them up a little. Under his arm was a satchel with some provisions for the group, which he handed to a cheery faced old dear who immediately began to share it out amongst the others. The children, always fascinated by the power that Dasquian possessed, clambered around him giggling a few thanks before asking him to do a few tricks. He would have been happy to oblige, were the Force not telling him that something was amiss.

He turned from the group and looked out into the street, his keen eyesight sweeping the area for but a second before picking up on a trembling shape in the darkness. At first he thought it was an animal but as he stepped out into the street and crossed the slippery tarmac, he realized it was in fact a woman, humanoid no less. Quickly rushing to her side, he saw the stains of crimson on the back of her neck.

“Hello? Can you hear me?”

One hand gave the woman’s shoulder a light squeeze, as he tested to see just how severe the damage was. There was a brief glance from her, showing she was still conscious, and thus Dasquian rose partially, looking back across the road.

“A few of you, come help me!”

Two men, thankful for the food they had received from the lightsider, jogged over as Dasquians gently began to try and lift Feliciana.

“We need to get her under that shelter,” the Jedi said, with a nod at a makeshift hut that had been constructed by the group.

[Feliciana Devano]

Feliciana turned and for a moment she felt fear as a man bent over her and squeezed her shoulder. Looking into his eyes, somehow -- she knew he was not there to hurt her further. Just as she laid her head back down, two others came to stand at Dasquian's side and soon the three of them lifted her up carefully. Dasquian cradled the young woman in his arms and the others were positioned at her head and feet, making sure the Jedi Knight could handle her weight. Absently Feliciana hung like a limp noodle within his embrace and a few times on their short journey, she blacked out because of the immense pain shooting through ever part of her body.

Unable to speak, the Dark Jedi Knight remained silent and closed her eyes as the group neared the makeshift hut constructed of nothing more than soggy cardboard and newspapers. Inside left a great deal to be desired, but there was one blanket, untouched by the rains. It seemed to be a miracle, really, but that one piece of fabric remained clean and dry despite the chaos surrounding the small shelter. Carefully Dasquian knelt down, placing his knees in a puddle of dirty rainwater. Others would have been disgusted and upset by this simple issue, but he kept a look of concern and genuine care for the stranger he had picked up from the street. Laying Feliciana inside the hut, he quickly gathered the blanket which, when unfolded, turned out to be larger than originally expected. He wrapped it around her shaking body and slowly tipped her head to the side so that he was looking upon her face. Her cyan eyes opened for but a moment as she eyed him silently; her mind secretly pondering why anyone would ever do this for her.

The two other men seemed to back away, though they positioned themselves behind and slightly to both sides of the Jedi Knight, offering their services to him if he so needed. Slowly a group of young children and other beggers began to gather behind the two other men. Toddlers with dirty blonde mops upon their heads stood quietly, grasping the loose and tarnished rags their parents wore for clothing. A woman looked down on Feliciana and pain rose up in her eyes. She turned away and hugged another man close, obviously her signifcant other. The Dark Jedi Knight could not help but feel guilt in that very instant. Others were feeling sorrow over her for the first time in her life -- something she had never witnessed before, save for her fiancee who always seemed to worry and fuss over her. Closing her eyes once again as pain shot through her side, the Dark Knight inhaled a ragged breath and exhaled, but soon began to cough. She leaned to the side and held a pale hand up to her mouth as she hacked violently. With each lurch, small patches of crimson fell upon her skin -- definatly not a good sign. In that instant, any who were paying attention could only guess that she had suffered internal injuries from the mugger's blows to her stomach area. Only time would tell whether Feliciana would live -- or die. It all depended on one man -- and whether a Dark Jedi Knight could learn to trust and love a Lightsider.

[Dasquian Belargic]

Dasquian closed his eyes and all of those around watched intently as he seemed to go into an odd state whereby he wasn’t quite in the same plane as them. He was, in fact, mentally studying the woman’s body. Quite obviously there were internal injuries that needed to be dealt with, and to tend to them as quickly as possible he needed to discern their exact location. Once it was pin pointed in his mind, he leant over Feliciana and under covered the blanket ever so slightly from her mid section.

“Please, stay still.”

There was a look of concern from the woman, but it washed away soon – she was in too much pain to protest. Soon that would be remedied, however, and it began with a warm feeling over her skin. Not warm like the flowing of blood, but something else. As the Jedi Knight placed his hand down on her skin, causing a momentary sting, a flush of heat spread throughout her body. The surface of her skin began, slowly and clumsily in some places, to mend itself as tissue and fiber knotted together to become once again complete.

With the outer wounds all but seen to, Dasquian began the arduous task of trying to heal what damage had been done within.

“What’s your name, miss?”

[Feliciana Devano]

Feliciana gasped slightly as she felt the sting and then the immense heat wash over her body. The woman winced slightly but soon the pain was dissapating due to the healing powers the Jedi was using. Soon the Dark Knight came to realize that she was not dealing with a Padawan and this was one quite skilled in the area of healing.

"What's your name, miss?"

The question was barely audible to Feliciana as she laid her head back down. She felt dizzy and sick -- but relieved, for some reason. Never before had she been healed like this. The only time she had ever been healed by anyone was by Navaria. The woman closed her eyes tightly for a moment before opening them and resting their cyan orbs upon his face.

"Fel -- Feliciana Devano. Wh -- who are you?"

She managed to get out between coughs. Her stomach hurt terribly and she realized that only her outer wounds were healing. "All in time -- he's not trying to hurt you." The Force spoke to her and her brain computed the message -- quite an obvious one. Sighing inwardly, the young woman laid back once again and locked her eyes upon Dasquian's face. She wanted to ask him so many questions -- just tell him so many things -- cry out, perhaps. She could not, though -- the internal pain was slowly eating away at her and instead of feeding off it it -- it devoured what little strength the Dark Jedi Knight had left.

"I -- ca -- can't -- hold on."

With that her eyes shut and she collapsed unconscious from exhaustion and mental pain. Her body was attempting to handle the trauma on its own and so one of her defenses kicked in and rendered her in a coma-like state to protect her mind from any further physical pain she would endure. Feliciana was not dead, though, but was not far from it. It would take a miracle -- or perhaps, a Jedi, to save her life.

[Dasquian Belargic]

When Feliciana awoke she was no longer in the harsh cold of night. Above her there was a small, rattling light that illuminated the room she was in. It was warm, and there was a quiet murmur of voices around her. After the woman had blacked out, the Jedi Knight, with the help of some of the locals, had gotten her to a local hostel – a haven for those with no homes who needed a safe place to sleep and a hot meal. Right now the Jedi had Feliciana propped up in a chair, and had apparently applied some gauzing and bandages to various outer wounds that he’d had trouble healing. Her inner wounds weren’t feeling as painful, but this was no doubt due to the bacta patches beneath some of the gauzing.

“Hello?”

As the womans eyes fluttered open, Dasquian smiled across at her. He was sitting in a chair opposite hers, looking happy to see her waking.

“How are you feeling?”

[Feliciana Devano]

Feliciana opened her eyes but quickly shut them as the bright light stung at her pupils. Slowly opening them once more, she gazed about the room a bit nervously before settling the cyan orbs upon the man who spoke to her. He looked happy and for an instant, the Dark Jedi Knight smiled genuinly, though pain still struck her insides ever so slightly.

"Hi --"

She paused for a moment and cautiously eyed him, though something told her that he was not out to harm her -- and he had just saved her life. Allowing her eyes to drop for a moment, she realized how much better she was feeling -- and how much he had done for her.

"I'm feeling -- better, thanks."

Questions slowly began to touch her mind, though, and she wondered why in the Galaxy anyone would want to save her. Wasn't she the one who but a year before had gone and slaughtered an entire village, taking the lives of men, women -- and children? Wasn't she the one called "The Pillar of Death"? Wasn't she the one who felt a need to destroy all who kept her from greatness? Her cheeks flushed ever so slightly as she realized these thoughts had taken over for a few minutes.

"Sorry -- who -- who are you?"

[Dasquian Belargic]

“I’m Dasquian,” he replied warmly, before tugging on his robes and adding the obvious, “Jedi Knight.”

With his hands on his knees, he quickly gave Feliciana a once over, to check her visible health. At the moment, everything was looking good.

“We thought we’d lost you for a moment there… good to know you’re feeling better. Would you like something to eat or drink?”

The room they were in, evidently, was an offshoot from the communal canteen that the slum-goers in the area came to when they had nowhere else to go.

[Feliciana Devano]

"Dasquian? Dasquian -- Belargic? I've heard of him before -- but where?" She thought to herself, looking his face over closer for mental recollection. Finding nothing, the young woman allowed the thought to pass.

"Nice to meet you -- Knight Dasquian."

She stated softly, unable to recall if she had introduced herself or not. After mulling the thought over, she decided to again for good measure.

"I'm Feliciana -- Da --"

The woman shut her mouth, not wishing to ruin what security she had with him because of her standing in the Force. "Sasha was a Sith for a long time, though, but you two have made it work. Sides matter not, remember?" She scolded herself but pushed the thoughts aside and skipped the subject all together, knowing that if he was as intelligent as he seemed -- he'd figure it out easily.

"Something to eat would be great. Something warm and a drink -- milk! I'm so hungry -- I've not eaten in -- a while."

"A few days is a while, Fel!" She mentally slapped herself for the thought but knew that by choice she had neglected food for nearly a week -- surviving merely on water and a bit of bread here and there. Looking down at herself, she noted a few bandages wrapped around her arms and legs. Her body was wrapped with a warm blanket leaving a few key areas exposed -- the places that had been injured the most. She slowly gazed up at Dasquian and smiled to herself, though it disappeared soon so she would not appear 'weak' in this state. She was still a tough Dark Jedi Knight -- or perhaps she was developing a 'soft spot'.

[Dasquian Belargic]

A man who had been apparently watching from the doorway nodded as Dasquian looked to him, and wandered off to find what Feliciana had asked for.

“If you do not wish to, you do not have to answer this question,” he remarked as he looked back at the still shaken looking Feliciana.

“But do you remember how you got into the terrible state we found you in?”