Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Obi-Wan bit back a curse as his blasted headache hit again, now at a most inopportune time.

Battlefields were good for very little, if anything, but they most certainly were not good for a headache. Much less one that made his balance go all strange, accompanied by whispers beyond his hearing.

He felt sharp concern from Cody beside him, and tried to flash a smile before wincing as the pain grew. He was generally one to let his Force-enhanced natural healing abilities deal with any ills rather than bother the already overburdened medics tending to soldiers who didn’t have such advantages, but these new headaches were far too strange to hide, and so Cody knew precisely what was happening.

“Sir—“

But Cody was cut off as a large blast landed between them, scattering dust and grit and blowing them both backwards. Obi-Wan staggered to his feet, dimly aware of the fact that he no longer had his lightsaber and Cody was going to give him that look again even though it was just the blasted headache throwing off his balance and—

Obi-Wan froze. The whispers were growing louder. He could almost make out words—or was that Cody? He wasn’t sure—

“Now… now I have you!”

No, that was most certainly not Cody. Obi-Wan felt his headache grow, his balance distort even further, and now it was Cody’s voice that whispered on the edge of his hearing as this new one took precedence.

“Stay with me! Focus on my voice! Let expanse contract, eon become instant…”

Obi-Wan cried out as the pain spiked, and then all faded, sight and sound. All but the voice.

“Throw wide the gates that we may pass!”

When he came to, he was flying through a dark void scattered with crystals.

He yelped and jerked backwards, but it had little effect on his trajectory. Or perhaps he was merely floating, and the crystals flying past him…

Unfamiliar faces and voices called out to him from the crystals, their words indistinct and meaningless to Obi-Wan, yet unmistakably filled with pain and loss.

One crystal loomed larger than all the others, shining painfully bright and approaching quickly, and Obi-Wan tried to draw himself backwards. The void seemed to shudder as it came closer and closer, until the crystal seemed to push itself outwards, swallowing the expanse of dark in its overpowering light.

He saw… he saw a woman, hovering elegantly in the air with her arms outstretched against a strange tide of light. “Your time has not yet come,” she intoned gently, turning her head slightly to him. But she saw him, then, and her eyes widened in slight surprise before she settled back into an almost regal air. Still floating, impossibly. “You are not of this star, but I sense a kindred spirit in you. Go forth, then, Warrior of Light.”

She bowed her head before turning back to the strange wave, and before Obi-Wan could ask what she meant, what any of that meant, every bit of the light before him grew and grew until it was as solid and all-encompassing as the void.

Chapter Text

Obi-Wan blearily opened his eyes to an unfamiliar sky. It was painfully bright, beyond normal daylight, and all too similar to the searing light he was beginning to suspect was not just a dream brought on by the war’s stress.

For a long moment he just laid there, staring at it, before sighing heavily and forcing himself up.

The surrounding landscape was equally unfamiliar, though not as strange as the sky. Pastel purple foliage surrounded him, from the tree leaves to the grass. It was deathly quiet, as well, just as much a stark change from the battlefield of before as the purple foliage and strange sky.

He was most certainly not on Carida anymore, that was for sure. The air felt too sharp and too real in his lungs to be a dream, even if he had been one prone to exceptionally vivid dreams after being knocked unconscious during a battle. And he was not.

Well, there was little use in standing around being confused. Answers were unlikely to come to him where he was. He would need to press on to find out where in the bloody hells he was, and why.

He cast about, looking for some sort of landmark that would imply civilization, and instinctively as always reached for the Force.

He stopped. It wasn't there. The Force wasn't... there. Somehow in its place he felt an odd sort of energy, both like and unlike the all-encompassing Force he was accustomed to.

He very, very quickly decided to let it be. Whether it was something else entirely, or some corruption of the Force he knew, it was best left alone until he had more information. It was unlikely that this planet, wherever it was, was completely uninhabited, and someone was bound to know what this other energy was. Perhaps if an emergency arose, but... he did not want to submerge himself in a poisoned well if that strange trip through the void corrupted his connection to the Force, somehow. He was accustomed to basking in the Force’s light, to be sure, but the light he had encountered there... that had been something else entirely. He wasn’t quite sure if he trusted it, even if the idea of not being able to turned his stomach somewhat. He had always been able to trust the Force.

He looked around himself slowly, feeling adrift. But even if he was accustomed to having an extra sense to help in such matters, it did not mean he was totally without skill or recourse. He quickly found a landmark, all the same. A large crystalline tower, looming high in the unnaturally bright sky. He didn't know whether it was merely a natural structure, or a sign of some sort of civilization, but it was as good a start as any, without the Force to guide him.

The eeriness didn't abate as he made his way through the lavender forest. At least his bloody headache was easing, and not a moment too soon. He caught the sharp scent of a campfire, and, keeping an eye on the tower ahead of him, quickly sought out the source. For if there was a campfire, there was likely a person. And perhaps he could then get some answers.

And indeed, as he peered around a large tree trunk, he saw a man standing next to a small campfire, dressed in unfamiliar clothes that looked to be for traveling. Settled nearby was some sort of bipedal pack animal—it was birdlike, especially in the face, but it didn’t appear to have serviceable wings. All about was packages and goods—so a merchant, then. That was good. Merchants were often fine sources of information, as travelers of all stripes tended to be.

He decided to abandon stealth, though he did see a sword and shield set aside, so the merchant was armed. He approached him openly, and before he could properly hail him, the merchant took a long drag of a pipe and smirked. “Rare to meet someone out here who’s not a peddler themself. What brings you into the wilds this time o’ night?”

Obi-Wan was so surprised he didn’t answer for a brief moment, instead giving a sharp look to the painfully bright sky overhead. “I wouldn’t call this night...”

The merchant—or peddler, rather, as he called himself—let out a laugh. “Well, if it ain’t the oldest joke in the book. Me grandad—gods rest his soul—used to tell that one to the barman at kickin’-out-time.”

Obi-Wan cocked his head in confusion, but before he could reply, the peddler continued. “‘An’ when, pray tell, did we last have a dark night? Ye rotten old drunk ye!’ he’d reply.” The peddler shook his head and took a seat on a box near the campfire, taking out a large bottle and taking a swig. “‘Over a hundred bleedin’ years ago, that’s when!’”

Obi-Wan deliberately didn’t reply, then, gazing up at the bright sky in consideration and confusion. He heard the peddler laugh again beside him. “Hm! You’ve got that look down to a tee. I’d almost think you meant it... Ahhh, got to you, did they? Poor beggar. That explains it, then.” He laughed again and offered the bottle to Obi-Wan.

He quickly shook his head - the last thing he wanted now was a drink - and again, the peddler continued before he could make any sort of reply. “Well, I’ve roads to travel and wares to sell, but you—you’d best hurry along to the town nearby.” The pack animal immediately perked its head as the peddler began putting out the campfire. “Just head east through the trees, and aim for the shining tower. You’ll find the place soon enough. ‘Tis the biggest settlement for malms around. Go on, now, friend. They’ll take good care of you in the Crystarium.”

Obi-Wan pursed his lips as the peddler made his way towards—well, likely a road, though Obi-Wan didn’t know where it was. But at least he now knew he had been on the right track, with heading towards that crystalline tower. But he hadn’t the slightest clue what the peddler could have meant about how “they” had gotten to him. Or what that would even result in.

What was clear, though, was that the state of the sky was nothing new in these parts, and was something that was apparently unchanging from day to night. How that could even be possible, Obi-Wan had no idea. The planet would have to have no rotation at all... or perhaps it was a space station with an incredibly advanced and extensive greenhouse? But the peddler also implied that it hadn’t always been like this, that they had once had regular nights...

Well, it was not a mystery he could solve hanging around, staring at the sky. He would have to just make his way towards the tower, as the peddler advised, and find this Crystarium. Perhaps there would be answers.

Chapter Text

Obi-Wan was rewarded in heeding the peddler’s advice - whatever settlement had sprung up around the crystalline tower, it was large enough to warrant a guard station. A very well staffed one, at that. They immediately noted his approach, and were wary but did not seem overly concerned - it was a good sign that he was not seen immediately as a large threat, he thought (though perhaps, he granted himself, they should, even without his lightsaber).

A woman strode out to meet him, tall with long white hair and furred ears like a Lepi. Her face was more human-like, though, and he didn’t see any other differing characteristics besides the ears. She regarded him warily. “Every face in this city I know. Yours I do not. This is the threshold of the Crystarium, stranger, and I am its gatekeeper. If you would enter, you will answer my questions. From where do you hail?”

That was an easy enough question, he supposed, though he was unsure of the reception he would get... “I am from Coruscant, in the Core.”

“Do you take me for a fool? No such place exists. Had you given me an honest answer, I would not have barred your way—we care little here for a person’s place or origin. But instead you chose concealment, and I will not suffer you to pass...”

Obi-Wan made to protest—why she would assume he was lying when she had merely never heard of his home planet, he didn’t know—but she quickly readied her weapons, and Obi-Wan instinctively went for his lightsaber, which he remembered too late was not actually there. Blast. He settled into a ready stance all the same, but he also felt an odd sensation at his back. He was unable to decide whether to give it or the guard his attention, but it seemed he was not her target after all. The bladed circles at her side were thrown with accuracy to some sort of—stars, he didn’t even know what that was. Something out of a youngling’s tale, told around a fire late at night.

It dissipated in a strange puff of light, and Obi-Wan settled back into a more neutral position.

The guard was wry beside him. “That one had eaten. It must have gulped down the whole hand, ring and all...”

Obi-Wan didn’t quite know what she meant, at first, until... ah, yes, the creature had not completely dissipated. It left behind a ring. A ring Obi-Wan realized with a sinking feeling he had seen not too long ago, on the hand of a peddler. “What in the blazes was that?”

The guard turned to him, incredulous. “Surely you cannot be that committed to your lie—”

“Everything all right, Captain?”

They turned in unison, for entirely different reasons, Obi-Wan suspected. The guard—the Captain—clearly responding to a familiar voice of authority, and Obi-Wan because he very, very clearly recognized the voice that accompanied his headaches and subsequent strange journey. The man was cowled, which piqued his annoyance, but otherwise unassuming. Save, perhaps, for the strange growths of crystal on his skin, of a similar color to the tower behind them.

“Quite all right, my lord. Just a stray sin eater, and a weak one at that.”

Obi-Wan felt an eyebrow rise—both at the “my lord,” and the assertion that whatever that had been, it was weak.

“I see. Weak or not, we should be on the lookout for more.” The cowled man turned to Obi-Wan, and smiled ever so slightly. Dare he even say, a bit nervously. “But I see you’ve met my guest. I will escort him to the Crystarium myself... if you’ve no objections?”

“Another of your mysterious friends, is it? I should have known.” She sighed, in a manner that reminded him all too much of Cody after he and Anakin came up with yet another of their plans. “Very well. I’ll inform the others that your guest is to be given the run of the city.” She turned to Obi-Wan and bowed shallowly. “Pray forgive my less-than-cordial welcome. May the rest of your stay with us be a pleasant one.”

Obi-Wan bowed in return. “But of course. I imagine with... those things running around, one can’t be too careful.”

She turned, and the cowled man approached, still not entirely nervous, but Obi-Wan could see the edges of it in his body language. He hadn’t thought overmuch about the connection between this strange turn and the man’s voice, but now he was clearly involved somehow, and Obi-Wan wasn’t sure precisely how. But it was also clear that he wasn’t the only one who had suddenly turned up here.

“Come with me,” the man said, his voice low. “I will answer whatever questions you have when we are somewhere more private.”

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow, but inclined his head in assent. The Captain had called whatever other guests he had “mysterious,” so whatever their purpose, it wasn’t well known.

In the end, the man merely meant until they were out of earshot of the guard post. Before they entered the city proper, he quickly stopped and turned. “Right, then. Before we plunge into the wheres and wherefores, let me first apologize for what must be... a very strange a sudden turn of events for you. I must thank you for answering my summons, regardless, though you were not my intended target. I do not recognize your style of dress, or know where you must be from, but all the same. I had intended to bring her... or rather, you, I suppose, directly to my personal quarters, but I fear my aim was... slightly off. In more ways than one. But that you were still able to make the crossing unharmed is... a great relief, whoever you are.”

Obi-Wan leaned slightly back and crossed his arms, giving a quick glance toward that unnatural sky. “Well, I suppose I should be glad I’m not the victim of an intended kidnapping, but I must admit I find myself quite confused by the whole of this planet. This sky... whatever that creature was...”

The Exarch looked taken aback. “Planet? Whatever do you—ah, perhaps you mean star?”

Obi-Wan shook his head. “No, the sun would be a star. A planet—planets are merely the ball of earth we walk upon, hanging in space. Worlds, in other words. Though I suppose star systems with planets look like a single star from afar.”

The man looked at him curiously. “How interesting. Here, at least, we mean ‘planet’ when we say ‘star.’ I take it travel between stars is not unheard of for you? I do not need to explain the existence of other worlds?”

“I travel between them with startling regularity,” Obi-Wan remarked dryly, “though I will say that this was the strangest trip I have ever traveled, and that is saying something for someone in my line of work. Usually we use a... well, a flying ship, I suppose, that can traverse the space between planets—or stars, rather—at quite high speeds.”

“Curious and curiouser. I am glad, then, that at least this is not so shocking a concept to you. I’m afraid the inhabitants of this star are largely oblivious to the existence of others.”

“Ah. Hence your Captain’s insistence that my home planet could not possible exist.”

The man inclined his head. “Quite so. Now, as to wherefore... Having been awarded the rather grandiose title of ‘Crystal Exarch,’” this said with a slight air of embarrassment, “I—in my capacity as caretaker of the Crystarium—thought to seek the aid of a certain hero and her companions. I am, alas, not precisely an accomplished mage, and had been missing my mark. I had thought I had finally reached her with my summons—but it seems I went far further afield than I intended. But you must still be confused—let us begin with the glaring skies up above.”

Obi-Wan inclined his head again, and truth be told, he was deeply curious about this place, and the unnatural sky. Space travel was clearly an uncommon thing in whatever part of the galaxy he had ended up in, so he didn’t imagine he would be getting back to the front anytime soon. Best to wait, and to listen, and to learn, and from there, he could find the way to move forward.

It was a luxury ill afforded to him of late. He was almost... grateful for it, even as he felt a twinge of guilt, for others would have to be making do without him. But he could do little about that, so he would merely have to let the feeling pass.

“Here, on this star—the First, as it is known among those of us who are aware of the myriad stars—the world has been all but consumed by primordial Light. It began a century ago, by this realm’s reckoning. A luminous flood swallowing everything in its path. More than nine tenths of this star was lost.”

Obi-Wan glanced back up at the unnatural sky again, this time with true trepidation. Such a thing was... well, it was far outside his realm of experience, that was for sure.

“And the fortunate few who survived are hounded by abominations born of that catastrophe even now. ‘Sin eaters,’ we call them. The creature you saw earlier was one such monstrosity. It was to save the First from this menace that I learned to bridge the rift between worlds—that I might call upon the aid of the greatest of heroes.”

“Ah,” Obi-Wan couldn’t help but grin. “But instead you got me?”

“Ah, yes, well...” The Exarch had the good grace to look embarrassed, well and truly embarrassed, this time. “Ah, but what manner of host harangues his guest in the middle of the road? Let us continue our talk within the Crystarium.”

Chapter Text

The city was grand, Obi-Wan had to admit, if not terribly large. The graceful crystal domes called to mind the large tower behind them, and each structure was delicately adorned. More lavender trees dotted the city, and the overall impression was rather peaceful, in stark contrast to what seemed to be the dangers outside its gates. A haven.

The Exarch stopped before they got too far. “And here we are. Welcome to the Crystarium. Now, a full and frank discussion in the privacy of my study would seem to be in order... But I think our conversation would be more meaningful were you first to gain a firmer grasp of the situation here. To that end, I would like you to visit a few of the Crystarium’s civic leaders, and glean something of this world and its predicament.”

Obi-Wan took a moment to gaze around the city, and then looked back at the Exarch. “You wish only for me to hear you out?”

He nodded. “Yes. That is all I ask.”

Obi-Wan suspected that the Exarch did not have an immediate means to return him to his home—surely, otherwise he would have just said so outright. He wasn’t entirely happy about that, but he had no intention of twiddling his thumbs while a solution was searched for. Normally he would not make his help in what may be a dire matter conditional, but in this situation... yes, he rather thought he could use his assistance to leverage the Exarch into searching for his way back. But it would certainly not hurt to gather information before embarking upon that negotiation. So, he shrugged. “Very well, then.”

The Exarch sagged ever so slightly in relief. “That is wonderful to hear. This path will take you directly to the aetheryte—but, ah, are you... familiar with such devices?”

The Exarch was indicating a floating crystal, which spun slowly upon its base. “No, I’ve never seen such a thing before. I take it it is not merely ornamental?”

“No, no, not by any means. Ah, well, I suppose we can wait for an explanation on how to use it, since it’s not as if you’ll be going far as of yet. They are transportation devices, you see. Attuning to one will allow you to return to it, and any others you come across.”

“That sounds useful,” Obi-Wan had to admit. He had no idea how such a thing could work, but as the Exarch said, it could wait. He certainly didn’t intend to wander off without knowing anything about this place. Not with those creatures outside the gates, and him without his lightsaber.

“Yes, well. In that plaza, you can walk up the steps next tot he aetheryte and head out to the left to arrive in the Crystalline Mean. This is where you’ll find our collective of crafters and gatherers, as well as their spokeswoman, Katliss—one of the people I should like you to meet. Another is Moren. To reach him and his ‘Cabinet of Curiosity,’ you’ll want to avoid the aforementioned steps, take the exit on the left, and simply continue straight along and down until you come to the large doors at the end of the path. You can find him at the top of the column in the center, most likely. The third and final person I should like you to meet is Bragi, our man in charge of trade and distribution. He is to be found in the markets, which you can access from the opposite side of the aetheryte plaza. In seeking out each of my colleagues, you will visit the major districts of the city, and hopefully gain a feel for the place. I trust my directions were simple enough?”

Obi-Wan nodded. “Crystal clear.”

The Exarch laughed softly. “Hah, very good. I concede, the layout of the Crystarium owes more to historic necessity than planning, but I’m sure you’ll learn its twists and turns before long.”

Obi-Wan had to laugh in turn. “Ah, there is little to worry about there. I’m not sure if this city is quite large enough to get large in—why, you could probably fit the whole thing in the Room of a Thousand Fountains in the Temple back on Coruscant.”

“Is that so? Perhaps you can tell me more of your home, once there there is some time to spare. But in all honesty, the true challenge may be in finding the right way to approach the Crystarium’s citizens. As you discovered during your encounter with the captain, the people of this world are unaware of the existence of other stars, and will struggle to accept the truth of your origin. That being the case, when they ask whence you hail—as they inevitably will—I suggest you claim to share a homeland with the Crystal Exarch. While it is not as true a deflection for you as it would have been for my intended target, there is an unspoken rule here about peering too deeply into that particular mystery.”

Obi-Wan merely shrugged. “It is close enough, I suppose, if we merely extend the definition of homeland to ‘not here,’ isn’t it? I have no objections to that.”

“Very good. When you’ve finished making the rounds, pray meet me in the large courtyard at the center of town. Until then.”

The Exarch headed off, and Obi-Wan settled back to regard the city more fully. Truly, it didn’t seem all that large, but he was from a city that encompassed an entire planet.

The “aetheryte,” as the Exarch called it, was a fascinating thing. Obi-Wan could feel... something emanating from it, almost like the way he felt the creature from before behind him. It was both like and unlike sensing things with the Force, and Obi-Wan was deeply curious as to whether those similarities would bear out as he discovered more about whatever the energy was.

He briefly considered trying to attune to it, as the Exarch said, but decided against it. Instead, he set himself to climb the stairs the Exarch first indicated, and find the first of the Exarch’s “colleagues.”

He easily found an area that clearly was some sort of workshop, of a variety of sorts. And, indeed, a tall woman quickly hailed him.

“Rare to see a place so well stocked with goods, isn’t it? But not here. I’m going to guess you’re new to our fair city?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Well, for what it’s worth, you’ve chosen a five sanctuary. The Exarch can throw up a barrier if the sin eaters come knocking, so it’s a damn sight safer in here than it is out there. Safer and more civilized, too—thanks to us in the Mean. We work together to procure materials and resources, and craft the goods which make city life possible. This is the place to visit if you need a coat mended or a kettle forged! Just don’t go thinking it’ll all be handed to you on a plate like those Eulmoran layabouts. Here in the Crystarium, we work for a living.”

Obi-Wan filed that remark about “Eulmoran layabouts” away—another city, he presumed. “Oh, I have no objections to that.”

“Yes, I can see you’re no stranger to honest labor. You don’t have that whiff of indolence about you like some folk I’ve met. Still, I can’t quite pin down your profession... Where is it you’re from?”

“Same as the Exarch,” he replied with a wry grin.

“...One of the Exarch’s countrymen, you say? ...I see.” She nodded in satisfaction. “Well then, I’ll work twice as hard to make you feel welcome! Our city wouldn’t even exist if it weren’t from him, and any friend of his is a friend of ours! It’s really quite incredible when you think about it. They say his grand magicks summoned the Crystal Tower into existence—pulled the entire thing out of thin air. It wasn’t long before droves of refugees began congregating around its base, desperate for shelter after losing their homes to the Flood... And that’s how the Crystarium began. At the Exarch’s invitation, buildings started going up, and with the help of some curious relics brought forth from the tower, the place gradually expanded into the thriving metropolis you see today. The city’s stood here for decades now, yet the eldest among us swear the Exarch looks exactly the same as he did back then... He is indeed a man of many mysteries.”

Obi-Wan nodded slowly, digesting it all. It was interesting how the clear regard for Exarch—from Katliss’s glowing description just then, to the Captain calling him “my lord”—contrasted with his own description of these people as his colleagues. A sign of humility, to be sure, but was it a true one, or merely a political play? The tale of the Exarch summoning the tower from thin air matched with his own summoning, however, though Obi-Wan imagined materializing a tower such as that one was a might bit more difficult than just one person. “Does that bother you? The mysteries?”

She shook her head. “For all his secrecy, he has never yet let us down. We may not know his past, but we know his current deeds, and they are more than enough for us. So if he—and you—wish to remain silent about your shared homeland, then the folk here will respect your wish for privacy.” She gave him a grin. “...I am, however, more than a little curious to see any crafting talent you might be hiding! If you’ve aught to contribute on that front, be sure to come back and visit once you’ve had a chance to settle in.”

Obi-Wan laughed. “I will confess to some skill in carpentry, but I don’t know if I’ll have the time to contribute in that manner with what the Exarch has planned for me. Or, indeed, how long I’ll be staying at all. We shall have to see.”

She smiled and shook her head. “Far be it from me to interfere with his plans! But all the same, if you have time, just ask for Katliss, and I’ll find you a niche here in the Crystalline Mean. You can help us keep the cogs of the city greased and turning!”

He smiled in return. "I'll keep that in mind. For now, the Exarch asked me to speak to some others—"

"Of course!"

He nodded, heading back the way he came, turning over the information in his mind still. Next was... Moren, down the stairs, presumably underneath where he walked now.

When he made it to the lower levels, he was greeted with a small arboretum housing all manner of strange plants and trees. One such tree even stretched all the way up past the ceiling, a hole carved in the middle for it to pass. Its leaves were a far starker pink-purple than the paler lavender of the other trees he's seen, and he wondered if they were from a different region entirely, or just a different species. There were more regular plants full of green, as well, everything arranged in neat circular paths on stilts above cool water.

He thought about going down and asking further about the intent of the arboretum—judging from what he had gathered about the overall state of this world, he would guess its purpose was very, very functional, but all the same, he was curious. But no, he could see the large doors the Exarch had spoken, and he did need to get answers on his current predicament in a timely fashion.

Through the doors was a rather remarkable library. Not as large as the Archives in the Temple, of course, but few libraries were. It was arranged in a circular room, with books lining almost every part of the walls, and another column rose from the center, sporting even more books. And they were books, in truth, bound in flimsi and leather.

The Exarch had said that Moren would be at the top of the column, and indeed, there was a delicate staircase curving around it. Obi-Wan set himself to climb it, and considered that he had only seen stairs so far, not a lift to be found. It was curious.

He was gratified to find only one person at the top, in a robe with long green-grey hair, and surrounded by piles of books. The man - Moren, Obi-Wan could only guess - turned about and brightened in much the same way Katniss had. "Er, e-excuse me, sir! Are you recently come to the city, perchance? I'm quite familiar with our civic roles, you see, and... well... Ahem!"

Obi-Wan huffed a laugh and nodded in assent. He opened his mouth to reply properly, but Moren hardly gave him a chance. "Wh-What I mean to ask is, have you brought any books with you!? A rumpled scroll, even? A scrap of scribbled-on parchment...?"

Ah, yes, this was most certainly a librarian. Obi-Wan shook his head. "I'm afraid not." And frankly, even if he did have his datapad with him, he wasn't sure of how much use it'd be in a place populated by actual flimsi books and a librarian who thought to ask for scrolls. Certainly, Obi-Wan thought perhaps they might have some scrolls buried somewhere in the Archives, but Master Nu hardly accosted every visitor with breathless excitement at the possibility of getting a new one.

"...My apologies. Literature is something of an obsession of mine. As well as a profession. Librarian Moren, at your service. And this humble collection is known as the Cabinet of Curiosity. As your powers of perception have likely informed you, my colleagues and I are responsible for curating all manner of tomes, documents, and other vehicles for the written word. As horrific as the loss of life and land wrought by the Flood unquestionably was, the damage to recorded knowledge was no less catastrophic. We few do all we can to preserve what wisdom survived. But tell me, what brings you to the Cabinet today? Looking for any title in particular? Mayhap a spot of academic research!?"

Obi-Wan laughed and shook his head again. "Nothing quite as involved as that. I'm one of the Exarch's new guests, and he sent me here to learn more of the current state of affairs."

"Oho!" Moren brightened even further in interest. "So you've an interest in modern history? Splendid! A thorough review of recent events can often yield novel perspectives, I quite agree! If you would prefer something visual to accompany the account, then I think I have an illustrated history book for children somewhere... Just a moment, and I'll fetch it for you."

Obi-Wan stifled a grin, though it wasn't quite necessary, as Moren had already dashed off to find this children's book. Normally Obi-Wan wouldn't be altogether pleased with the implication of immediately being offered a children's book, but in this case, he could see the use. Something illustrated would perhaps shed light on what some of these things were - like the Flood, and whether it was a literal flood, or just a metaphor.

"And here we are. Would you like to pull up a chair? Make yourself more comfortable?"

Obi-Wan shook his head, but drew near to look over Moren's shoulder at the book - and was immediately grateful the librarian seemed poised to read the book aloud, as he did not recognize the script used at all.

 "...Ahem, on with the lesson, then. A hundred years ago - or near enough not to matter - villains known as the Warriors of Light slew the Shadowkeeper, the steward of Darkness. In the wake of this tainted deed, Light began to pour into the world as if from unseen cracks. It pooled and swelled without cease, until the day an enormous, blinding wave rose up and swept across our star. We called this calamity the 'Flood of Light.' Everything it touched was leeched of life and vigor, leaving naught behind but a luminous wasteland."

And, indeed, the book showed a planet utterly consumed with blinding light, save a small circular portion of the land. Moren turned the page, to a new illustration of a girl floating in the air above a city, holding her hands out against a giant wave of the same light from the previous page in a gesture not unlike the way a Jedi might use the Force.

"Yet just when it seemed that all would be lost, a savior appeared before us... The Oracle of Light. She stood 'twixt us and approaching doom, and by her power did she stay the Flood. Thus was Norvrandt, and Norvrandt alone, spared the fate of erasure."

Moren turned the page again, to a scene that looked to be the same city poised to be crushed by a wave of light, but zoomed out further to show hordes of winged beings flying above.

"Tragedy would, however, arrive in another form. From the blasted emptiness descended horrors of strange and terrible aspect to bedevil the few folk who survived. These 'sin eaters' were Light incarnate, and their fulgent presence stole the night from Norvrandt's sky. Even now, they circle the remaining bastions of civilization, ever on the hunt for us, ever hungering for our flesh..."

Moren closed the book, looking up with a smile. "...And thus did the world become what it is. Should you ever wish to hear the tale again, I would be glad to retell it for you. O-Or if you would rather I speak of other matters, that too would be my pleasure! I should be glad of the company!"

"Of course. Now if you'll excuse..." Ah, but Moren was already turning back to his research.

Obi-Wan started back the way he came again, considering all the while. It did indeed seem that this world had been beset by a quite literal flood of light, though how exactly, Obi-Wan couldn't fathom. Another thing to ask of the Exarch, he supposed. Not to mention how the way Moren spoke of the "villains known as the Warriors of Light" and how it was the defeat of Darkness that caused the flood set his teeth on edge, as if Light was a force for evil, though in the next breath Moren spoke of being saved by an Oracle of Light.

He had one more person to speak to before returning to the Exarch. He found what was clearly the markets in the large domed building next to the plaza. The high dome's crystalized roof softened the unnatural light from above, and Obi-Wan was grateful for the more airy feeling.

Again, he was quickly hailed upon entry. Not that it was surprising in such a small community in dire times, but the lack of suspicion attached to each was encouraging, at least.

This one was what looked like a burlier version of a Zygerrian, though he wore a far friendlier look. "New to the city, friend? The spinning head and wide eyes give you away."

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow - he rather thought the man was mistaking the precise reason why he may look a bit out of sorts, but he supposed it wasn't as if he was going to be explaining he came from a planet-wide city, so it did no harm. He approached as the man - Bragi, most likely - continued.

"Welcome. My name is Bragi, and I'm the master of these markets. They have the district another, official title, but I'm not in the habit of using it. Too florid by half... In any case, our merchants stock a range of equipment for Humes such as yourself, so finding something in your size shouldn't be a problem."

"I'm sorry, did you say, 'Hume'...?"

"Aye? Something wrong?" Bragi looked baffled, but quickly gestured behind Obi-Wan, to a group of five people. "Let's see if we can straighten this out. See those two in front of us? The shorter one is a Hume. And the taller one is an elf. That sturdy individual over there is a Galdjent... whilst the one with the horns is a Drahn. And then you have the large, scaly chaps with long tails and a knack for raising livestock. Those would be the Zun."

Obi-Wan looked obligingly - all except the Zun were fairly standard humanoids, he supposed, with the Drahn the least human looking of the bunch with his scattered scales and horns along the side of his head. The Hume he guessed merely meant human, but he wasn't sure what separated the elf and the Galdjent from the Hume, besides perhaps the elf's more pointy ears. It wasn't as if humans couldn't have that tall height or that stocky build. But he supposed external appearances didn't mean everything, if the distinction was even meant to be at a species-level. "Ah, you mistake me. I was merely... unfamiliar with the specific name of 'Hume.' Where I'm from, we're just called humans."

Bragi looked interested. "Oh? Now I'm curious to know which far-flung region you hail from..."

"The same as the Exarch."

Bragi crossed his arms. "Ah, well, that explains it." He nodded confidently. "You don't get much further-flung than that. You've had a few of your lot pass through in recent years, and despite their obvious learning, they floundered over the simplest things. But not to worry! Should you find yourself confused by the local language or customs, I'll be here to answer your questions."

Obi-Wan nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, thank you." Bragi turned to other matters, and Obi-Wan turned to leave himself. He was gratified to learn, at least, that whoever the others the Exarch had pulled to this world were, they had also... 'floundered at the simplest things,' as Bragi had said. It meant he needn't worry about the strange gaps in his own knowledge - like, he thought as he passed it, whatever in the blazes that aetheryte was.

The north exit of the aetheryte plaza put him in front of the crystalline tower he had first seen, out in the woods. It was even grander up close, stretching up as far as he could see, and catching the unnatural light on its spires. Its base wasn't made of crystal, but rather surrounded by a stone structure, with wide stairs leading up to a massive golden door.

And in front of the stairs stood the Exarch, who greeted him as he approached. "Well, how did you fare? Did my colleagues help you form a clearer picture of this world and its people?"

"Clearer, yes, I should say, though not entirely clear. But if we are obscuring my origin, then your colleagues are hardly the people I'd go to ask about what I'd really like to know."

The Exarch inclined his head. "Quite so. All the same, you've done as I requested, and learned something of the world in which you find yourself. Now it's time I fulfilled my half of the bargain, and answer your questions. That is a conversation I would rather have in the privacy of my quarters, however. If you'll follow me?"

Obi-Wan nodded swiftly. And he did have so very many questions to ask.