The temple burned. Flames rose mercilessly among the large stone building that was the Jedi temple where so many young padawans had come to learn, practising their lightsabre forms in the lush gardens with teeth gritted, muscles taut as they swung their training sabres gracefully in the air. Now all that remained was a temple aflame, the fire roaring as it devoured all in its' path; and if one listened closely, there was the faint sound of screams echoing in the distance.
"No!" Ayla screamed, sitting bolt upright, sweat pouring down her brow. She heaved great breaths in, her whole body shaking as she tried to understand what had just happened. There had been a temple – not the Grey Temple that she was accustomed to, as a Grey Jedi apprentice – but a tall, stone one set in sprawling grounds. It had been on fire – flames had caressed it in a vicious embrace, engulfing it completely. And the screams – oh, the screams-
"Ayla!" She whipped around as her Master, Fallon Bryon, burst in. His blue eyes darted around the room, scanning for danger; sensing none, he then he strode to her side, crouching down. He tenderly brushed the brown curls that had fallen in front of her face out of her eyes, and looked enquiringly at her.
"What is it? Have you seen something again?" he asked, the lines in his forehead furrowing.
Ayla clung to him, too afraid to remember that she was a grown adult now, and should not need to cling to her Master as a youngling does to its' parent.
"Yes," she gulped. She sniffed, feeling slightly embarrassed at the state she was in but she was too close to her Master to care, and continued.
"There was a building...a tall temple, I think? Not like ours, but - a place of learning...It was on fire. It was totally engulfed by it. And I could hear the screams…." she shuddered, the echoes of the dying chorusing around her. Her master soothed her as he thought.
Eventually, he said, "It may not be a vision, Ayla. You've had bad dreams before that haven't come true". Ayla, however, was not so sure.
"I think….I think this one was real, Master. It felt...it felt like the others did. Before, when they came true..." she trailed off. She was strongly gifted in the Force and sometimes that manifested itself in visions. Sometimes this had meant she was able to prevent a tragedy before it happened; warn those doomed of their impending fate and save their lives. Other times, however, she simply had bad dreams, as every other person did. The difficulty was telling the difference between the two….
Her Master pulled back slightly and looked at her consideringly.
"Perhaps it was a warning then….Did you recognise it at all?" he asked, his face kindly. Ayla shook her head. Fallon frowned thoughtfully, his eyes far away as he took in all that she had said. Her Master was aware of her concerns about ignoring these dreams, aware of her fear that perhaps the one that she chalked up to being just a nightmare was in fact a real vision. A real vision, with real consequences that she had done nothing to prevent.
"Perhaps we can look into temples then...search the Holonet for famous ones, and see if you recognise them. If it is an event that we can prevent happening, we must do all that we can," he asserted. Ayla nodded – moments like this were times when she was pleased that she was so strong with the Force. Saving lives – preventing misfortune – was her calling in life and always had been since she demonstrated her Force powers at a young age. If she could save these people, then she must. She must.
"We will tell the Council tomorrow and seek their guidance," Master Fallon said finally after a few moments. Ayla nodded again. The Grey Jedi Council was a small group of those who called themselves Grey Jedi – Jedi who walked the line between the Light and the Dark sides of the Force. Though they fought primarily on the side of the Light, they rejected the teaching of the Original Jedi who proclaimed that all emotion should be suppressed, and that only serenity should take its' place. Whilst the Grey Jedi recognised that a cool head and a detached mode of thinking could have its place in decision making, they also understood that emotion, if properly controlled, could lead to acts that were pure and true. Love was not a weakness, but a strength – as long as it was properly channelled. Love that created evil acts, such as those that Anakin Skywalker committed to save his wife, was undoubtedly Dark – but when controlled, Love could prompt the greatest acts of selflessness, of greatness, that a person could ever carry out. It was this fine line that they walked - between denying the happiness that Love and emotion could create, and the destruction it could cause - that they balanced precariously on, like a silk tightrope that veered dangerously to one side or the other constantly.
Ayla smiled tentatively as her Master stroked her hair gently. The command she had over the Force could be...difficult at times. But I gave her the chance to help those who otherwise would perish. And surely that was all that mattered?
