Star Wars

The Arden Lyn Chronicles

Ashes of Despair

By

Christopher Cleveland & Diego Feliu

Prologue

The sight of the woman in the pain of labor was far more intimidating to Jedi Master Awdrysta Pina then he thought it would be. Last time he and his wife had had a child, he had been away on expeditions for the Republic and didn't arrive for three weeks afterward. This was nothing that a simple swing of his spear or a stroke of his sword could fix, not amount of battle-courage was helpful either. She had been struggling for days and nothing the Jedi Guardian had experienced could save him from the panic that her screaming and her begging began to set in.

"Someone help her, she's been like this for three days!" Master Pina demanded. "Master Pina, we're doing all we can for her but I'm afraid that if she keeps this up... She'll die if she keeps this up much longer and the child with her, the effort is too much for both of them," a nurse replied. "Master Pina, I suggest that you take your daughter out of here while we help your wife," another suggested.

"Ladies, I think you might want to take a look at this," a boy shouted from behind a window. The nurses rushed in, followed by Master Pina with his daughter left behind for her safety. Unfortunately, the scene that Pina arrived to was not a very good one even for him to behold. His wife had finally given birth but the baby was malformed and had died soon after.

Through the Force, young Pina could sense that his wife would soon follow. "Patricia, stay with me!" he begged of her. "Take care of our daughter, please. You are her Guardian just as much as you are the Jedi Guardian of the Order," she asked him.

"I promise I will take care of her, I promise that she will grow up to be a most powerful warrior of the Order," he answered passionately. "Then my life is complete, knowing I have birthed another addition to the Jedi Order," she stated proudly. After that, she exhaled a breath of life for the last time and perished from the trauma of the childbirth combined with grief for the failure of delivery. "Doctor, what gender would the child have been if it survived?" Pina asked.

"It would have been a son, as you had always wanted," the doctor answered. Not any more than I wanted a daughter Pina thought but didn't say. "Where is the steward of my family?" Pina asked aloud after moments of silence. "Here Master," the steward answered.

"Take my daughter to Ossus and leave her in the care of my brother and his wife. She will find a better family start with them than she would remaining in my care," he ordered. "But Master, she is your daughter!" the steward replied. "You forget that I am a Jedi Guardian which means I can't be there to raise her and I don't want her alone for possibly months at a time," Pina pointed out.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" the steward asked. "I don't want to do this but I know I have to," Pina answered. "You may regret it someday, sir, if you don't mind me saying so," the steward warned. "Believe me, I already do regret what I am doing but take this to my brother when you deliver my daughter there.

"It's a letter explaining the instructions I'd like obeyed in exchange for my daughter remaining in their keeping," Pina said as he handed a letter. "Yes sir," the steward said. Pina didn't even bother to say goodbye to his only surviving child, one last time. It would have made the parting near-impossible...

Chapter One

Sixteen years of training as a Jedi Sentinel was hardly anything to brag about. For seventeen-year-old Arden Lyn, this training was practically part of her own being now. "Arden, concentrate your power into lifting this boulder as high as you can," her uncle asked her. To the young and brash teenager, this was nothing short of an insult considering her potential as it was.

Lifting the rock as high as she could, she continued to concentrate until it was so far above that it would seem no more than a pebble to the naked eye. However, when asked to slowly bring it down, Arden also did this with almost no effort at all like it had when she was a little girl. "You've done well, Arden. You're almost ready for the Initiation Trials to be entered into the Jedi Order," he told her.

"Uncle Judah, you've told me that for quite some time now. When do I start the Trials?" she asked him. "At the next Revival of Life festival in two months, I presume. There's no reason that the Guardian of Ossus wouldn't accept you this time," he answered.

The Initiation Trials were the yearly gatherings that the Lyn Clan as well as all the other eighteen-hundred clans of Ossus joined. Its purpose was simple: take the most potent candidates and see what class of Jedi Knight they belonged to. Women in these candidates were more commonly integrated into the Order as Jedi Sentinels, who focused more on Force power than physical skill. By contrast, men were selected to join the Jedi Warrior class that was just the opposite.

That didn't stop both from having excellent blade skills or a decent education in the abilities that a Jedi Knight could expect to be granted by the Force. However, this would not be their specialty as it would be for the Jedi Guardian which was a class designed for a single purpose. That purpose was to be able to use their weapons to counter Warriors and their shield to counter Sentinels that went rogue. As a result, the Order took only the most powerful and diversified survivors of the Initiation Trials to train them as Jedi Guardians and there was no sexual discrimination on who could become Guardians.

After all, such was the strength of the Guardian's commitment to the Jedi Order that those who were initiated would be asked to forsake all identity forevermore whether they were man or woman. This would be symbolized by the covering of every bit of flesh, even the face which would have a grey and relatively plain mask to cover what the Guardian's hood didn't. However, because there was no way to tell without the Initiation Trials, everyone accepted would be given a task at random. The method by which they completed the task would reveal their true connection and thus their rank.

Despite that lack of discrimination, it was considered wise to train women for the role of the Sentinel and men for the role of the Warrior whenever possible. Any disobedience to that rule was either taken as a sign of a Guardian or a lack of attunement to the Force. But on occasion, there were one or two warriors that completed their task with Bogan, the darker nature of the Force itself. Upon this discovery, the initiate would either be banished or executed immediately according to severity.

But Arden Lyn had no intention of disappointing the Order nor being refused for the thirteenth time. In the months that followed her uncle's final test, she trained mind and body to ready herself for whatever task the Seers of the Trials committed her to. So intent was her training that when her uncle told her that the time had come, it didn't feel like it had. It felt like it was still just another day of training. "Just accept it, we have to get you to the Town Square on time if you don't want to be refused for lack of punctuality," he told her.

In his chariot, they arrived within two minutes of when the Seers of the Trials would call role for those volunteering to the Initiation. As usual, the boy who beared the scroll with the names of those who were participating came up and unrolled his piece of flimiplast to boom out names as loud as possible. The first to be called up was a boy Arden remembered as being more muscle than brains as he had demonstrated when he tried to put the moves on her, two years ago. "Icarus, son of the House of Boagrius!" the scroll reader called.

He answered by stepping forth and raising his spear in reply to the call of the Scroll Reader. "Danzigorro, son of the House of Potts!" the Scroll Reader continued. Danzigorro rose his pair of swords and marched beside Icarus as the Scroll Reader prepared to call another name. "Blendri, daughter of the House of Messala!" he stated.

The woman raised her hand and marched to stand beside Danzigorro who stood beside Icarus in turn. Arden smiled, somehow suspecting that none of these three would survive the task that they were to be given. However, the next name sparked her interest considering the fact that her uncle had taught her only to bear disgust for the name behind it. "Xendor, son of the House of Kashi Mer!" the Reader called.

"Hail the Dynasty of the Ancient Ones, let their power grant me victory!" Xendor boldly stated in reply. Then he marched to stand beside Blendri, who shared the famed disgust of the name 'Kashi Mer' with Icarus and Danzigorro. "Sethul, son of the House of Asaiage!" the Reader continued. Sethul answered and stood beside Xendor and was the first one to have no apparent discomfort in that.

"Tun, son of the House of Bohoi!" the Reader called once more. Eight had been selected for the test and Arden knew that her name would be called now as she had not been called before. "Arden, daughter of the House of Lyn!" the Reader shouted. With her sheathed katana, once the weapon of her father, she stepped forth proudly and took her place next to Tun.

"Participants of the Initiation Trials!" the OverSeer of the Trials began. Same old speech and story as last time though for once, I've been accepted Arden observed quietly. "You have all been selected out of nine-hundred others because you have the greatest commitment to anyone on Ossus! Be proud that you have been selected but always remember that you could die during your mission!

"These tasks will not be easy, painless, or leisurely by any means. It will not be shameful to be afraid of the perils that lie ahead! However, if you should not let that fear consume you but control it then you shall grow powerful and understand what it means to serve the Ashla," the OverSeer added. "If this was to be easy, painless, or leisurely, I would have made sure never to come," Arden heard Xendor whisper.

Arden smirked, admitting that his boldness (while unneeded) certainly made him stand out from the rest of the crowd. "At least half of you will perish in the attempt to conduct your task but don't be ashamed! To perish in the name of Ashla, even without becoming a true Jedi, is an honor that anyone without attunement to the Force would give their right arm for if the Republic never existed. However, victory and initiation into the Jedi Order shall be an even greater honor for the survivors still.

"It is our job and our right to protect the peace and enforce the virtuous laws of the Republic. Consider everything you do here an honor for even in failure to complete your task, you will have shown a willingness to die for the Republic. A willingness that continues to inspire such individuals as Jedi Guardian Awdrysta Pina to keep on fighting in the name of Ashla!" the OverSeer continued. Why do I feel like I should know that name? Arden asked herself, confusedly.

"You will now each be assigned your task, be wary of the perils that lay ahead and may Ashla see fit for you to complete your task!" the OverSeer stated. The Scroll Reader returned to his place, having been asked to step down in favor of the OverSeer's speech. "Icarus, you have been charged to go the the Mountains of Hyperion and bring back the ancient moonflower. Be wary the dragon that guards the glittering treasure or perish before its foul breath as others have!" the Reader stated.

Icarus nodded, marching off to the cargo ship that would take him to the planet Salem where the Mountains were located. The dragon kills all who have less than half a brain, he'll be chow before he can touch a petal on those flowers Arden thought with a smile. "Danzigorro, you are charged with the task of going into the Unknown Regions to the Dead Worlds! Bring back the claws and teeth of one of the older and more aggressive rancor beasts that reside in those worlds!" the Reader said.

Danzigorro gulped slightly but nodded in acceptance of this task which none had completed before. No one with so much as a vein of fear will survive those beasts for more than a few seconds Arden observed. "Blendri, you are charged with the task of charming the ancient Hooded-Snake. Sleep in the nest that bears its young should you be accepted by the mother, bring a shedded scale back after spending the night!" the Reader told Blendri.

Arden knew Xendor was next and he knew it too, judging by the giddiness that was contained only to his eyes. "Xendor, you are charged with perhaps one of the most important tasks that we can ever hope to ask of an Initiate! You are charged with the task of beating Loki the Destroyer on his homeworld, the uncharted forest moon that no one dares venture except for you!" the Reader stated. Xendor smiled and nodded zealously, raising his fists high in the excitement of the task that lied ahead of him.

"Either he has nothing left to lose except his life or else he is just a stupid little boy who has not seen the horrors of combat," Tun hissed. "He is a better warrior than we give him credit for, my friend," Sethul replied. "Tun and Sethul, you have both been charged with the task of marching to the Temple of the Moon and acquisitioning the Aquarius Crystal!" the Reader told the duo. Clasping their hands together, the friends enthusiastically smiled and accepted this task readily.

There was naught but grave silence as the two of them left to complete their task like all the others who had been announced. But even the whispers of worry for the others and thankfulness for Xendor's assignment were silenced. After all, Arden Lyn had been raised to be the princess of one of the wealthiest noble families on Ossus. The task before her, none doubted, would be very difficult if not nearly impossible indeed.

"Arden Lyn, you have been charged with the task of traversing the Ash Plains of Tython, entering the ruins of the ancient Je'daii Temple. At its heart, you must obtain the Black Firestone but be wary of the ancient Bogan spirits that reside within. Allow the elder Children of Ashla to guide you and you shall emerge victorious! Aside from Xendor's task to defeat Loki the Destroyer, yours may be the most difficult task so take advantage of any help," the Reader stated, concluding his part in the ritual.

Arden nodded, emboldened that her task could be anywhere near as difficult and dangerous as Xendor's. After all, she had heard about the great deeds of the young man especially of how he fought down a raiding clan of pirates that threatened shipments to Columus by himself. Her transport, whether through the will of the Force or mere chance, was the transport Xendor would be using as well. After all, the forest moon that Loki lived on was not too far off the path to the ancient world Tython.

Thankfully, there was no rule stating that the Initiates couldn't talk to each other along the way if such an incidence happened. I think that may be because it would be a boring trip if that were the case Arden joked to herself silently. "We two have the greatest tasks of the other initiates. Guess it's only fitting that we share the same transport," Xendor spoke directly. "Xendor, son of the House of Kashi Mer, we meet at last," Arden replied, grinning.

"Indeed, I have heard great things about your family and their benefit to the planet Ossus," he stated. "Can't say the same for you," she admitted. "No one can, it's not surprising considering my family's legacy as wielders of Bogan," he confessed. "They were users of Bogan?" she asked.

"You see this glass prism around my neck? It's the infamous Kashi Mer Talisman, said to give power to those who wield it in exchange for their soul," he answered as he showed her. "Has it done that?" she inquired. "According to legend, it has but I have yet to feel any such effects if it's supposed to be instantaneous," he replied.

"I've heard it said that artifacts like that don't do their damage instantaneous but rather, over the course of several years," she suggested. "I too have heard such claims but I've yet to see any actual proof of it for myself," he admitted. "So long as you use the Talisman minimally, I highly doubt either of us will see the truth of that before the end of our lives," she said. "Perhaps and perhaps not but either way, I'm glad that Master Pina saved my life when the Jedi came to destroy the Kashi Mer," he stated.

"What is it with that guy and the things he does?" she asked. "Unlike most members of the Council, Pina follows a very strict adherence to the more peaceful doctrines of the Order. Where the rest of the Council believe that worlds should be conquered, he doesn't believe in that crude method. Rather, he believes we should attempt to negotiate treaties with people already settled on those worlds and use war as a last resort only," he answered.

"We know that the Chancellor of the Republic and the Jedi Council support the exact opposite view, I wonder why he hasn't been banished yet," she admitted. "Because even in his old age, the strength of the Council and the Chancellor are no match for his power in the Force. The only trained warrior that I can think of that'd stand a chance, ironically enough, is Loki the Destroyer," he replied. Then he must have been truly incredible when he was a young man she thought quietly.

"Yet you go off to defeat or destroy Loki the Destroyer on his homeworld. With all that put together, what do you think would happen if Pina had been asked to beat him instead?" she asked. "At the very least, I'd see a draw with both of them too exhausted to keep fighting. But at the very most, I'd dare say-due to his superior cunning-Pina would emerge victorious though with great strain," he replied.

"You seem to really desire living up to him," she observed aloud. "Shouldn't everyone? It's because of him that we haven't had as much war against outsiders of the Republic as we could have. Time and again, he's stepped into negotiate treaties between the Republic's ambassadors and the free peoples that live outside its view of civilization and order," he countered.

"He once said that he wasn't sticking to the peaceful doctrines of the Order because it was more tempting than the warlike contrast the Council appreciated. But rather, it was because sticking to peace-when possible-was the right thing to do but we should hone our battle skills in, just in case. Strangely enough though, I find myself wondering what it is about Pina that I should be familiar with," she confessed.

"Do you have any idea why?" he inquired. "No, all I remember from when I was a little kid was my mother dying and my father leaving me with my aunt and uncle. Yet every time I hear the name 'Awdrysta Pina', I find myself wondering," she explained. "Only thing I remember from when I was a little kid was my family being cut to ribbons by the Jedi and Pina protecting me at spear-point," he said.

"Did you actually see what happened with your parents or are you guessing that with seeing it happen to everyone else?" she asked. "Well, I saw my Dad get his head chopped off by a Jedi Warrior and my mother being impaled with two spears and another sword if that counts. I also got to see my younger cousins get their heads crushed with rocks by Jedi Sentinels," he answered. "But why?" she inquired, nauseous from hearing all that.

"The Jedi and the Republic fear what they don't understand and they didn't understand how the Kashi Mer Dynasty could have formed an advanced civilization whilst worshipping Bogan. So they destroyed them on the premise that their view of the Force didn't agree with the Jedi love of Ashla. Cruel but simply what we humans are wired to do: we destroy what we fear, misunderstand, hate, or even envy," he said. "Young master Xendor, we'll be arriving at the rendezvous point for your extraction in three hours!" the transport driver chimed in.

"Very good, let me know when we're half an hour away and I'll begin readying my belongings immediately!" Xendor replied. The driver nodded and continued on the trek that had seemed slow but, thanks to the conversation, had zoomed by really fast. "It's strange how time works when you're just having a conversation or when you're meditating, is it not?" Arden asked. "Indeed it is, Arden, indeed it is," Xendor answered with a firm nod.

"Maybe there was a more subtle reason why the Jedi wanted to eliminate Kashi Mer than just because of their worship of Bogan," she suggested. "What do you mean?" he asked. "According to legend, the original god named Kashi Mer was the God of Time. Equalled and surpassed only by the Spirits of Mortis and the Chronicler respectively, any who could harness his power understood time.

"At least, understood the mechanisms of it and could use it to either strengthen their bodies in much the same way as Force Valor does or deteriorate their opponents' abilities," she answered. Xendor thought about that, remembering that the main obsession of many Kashi Mer humans had been the philosophical and scientific understanding of the essence of Time itself. They had wondered why it was that time could have the power to slowly destroy or rapidly create existing objects in the galaxy. Had they been close to discovering it, had they succeeded when he was a child but were stopped by the Jedi because they had ill-intent for its use?

"Of all the people I hoped would meet my philosophical match, a woman was the least expected," he admitted after some thinking. "All my life, people have told me that it's not right for a woman to be imagining anything other than the way of the Sentinel and a life raising children. I get fed up with the latter more easily than the former but both piss me off," she stated. "Can't imagine why," he agreed.

Both of them laughed and some more talking occurred between them before the driver made the announcement that Xendor requested. "Looks like it's time for my to get my sword and my Talisman. I hope our paths cross again, Arden Lyn: I'd hate for this to be the only philosophical debate we have together," he said. Just then, a vision flooded across Arden's mind and it foretold that they would indeed meet again though it also showed details that startled her.

"I have already foreseen us doing that," was all she said about it to him. "How is that possible?" he asked. "When people say or do certain things before my eyes, sometimes, I get a glimpse of whether or not I will be crossing paths with them again or if something else is meant to happen. It's a power that I have had for as long as I can remember and I've yet to understand its working," she answered.

"I'll admit that I have a strange power of being able to perform better when actually in battle than I can when I'm just training for a battle. I don't know if it's the Talisman at work when that happens or just an accidental use of Force Valor, but I've also had it for as long as I can remember. Perhaps someday, we'll both find out the answers to the secrets of our powers," he stated. "I look forward to that day when we do," she replied.

"Good meeting you, Arden Lyn. May the spirits of Ashla protect you on your journey to find the Black Firestone," he told her. "And may the spirits of Ashla protect you from the dark Bogan spirits that surround Loki the Destroyer," she replied. "Bogan spirits surrounding a fallen god?

"I think not," he joked. Arriving to the transport that would take him the rest of the way, he marched off with pride and joy at the thrill of his mission. But in him, Arden had foreseen a future like no other: it was as though their lives were bound to be intertwined forevermore. Is he my future husband or something? she asked herself silently. After she had survived the initiation and joined the Order, she would ask him then for certain.