She was grateful for those gentle brushes. Especially when the weight of the shadows grew heavy. She understood the reason why the beings of this realm were in the shadows, the weight upon them was greater than anyone living would have ever experienced. Even the well aged among them. But Higgs also still had his claws set into them, and due to their brief interaction she knew there were holes in her barrier against his remnants. But as far as she knew she was the one that had ever put her hands on the stone they referred to as the Heart. And the only one with experience with the Darkside added to that.
It felt like hours had passed. Fruitless hours. Slowly she drew herself out of the meditation. Casting her hand through her hair, she let her frustration show. "Tell me, is there any such thing as a retired Jedi? Because I think..." It was there through her despair and frustration that she felt it. A little glimmer of what once was. Her eyes widened and she jumped up from her seated position, not like someone that was nearing the marking of a battle worn five decades, but someone fresh to the academy.
"We are not far." It was that sliver of hope that she needed.