The Ways of the Force
Part 2: Training and Trails
"Good Silvara, feel the force flow through you." Master Eldren said to the young girl that was meditating near a medium size boulder. Silvara had her eyes close tight, her face looked at peace. However there were some beads of sweat on her forehead from concentrating. As she concentrated the force enveloped her she could feel the warmth of it touch her bones, the feeling was both odd yet soothing, on the outside a trace of a aura began to glow and the boulder shaking slightly. Master Eldren looked on with a please look, he remained silent.
The boulder shook and wobbled, it began to rise. Slow and steady it rose higher and higher. Silvara could feel the boulder at a safe height. She commanded the boulder to lower back down to where it was settled before. "That is very good, Silvara." Master Eldren you are learning how to use the force very well. "Thank you master, I felt it touch me it was a warm feeling" Silvara said as she opened her eyes. "How did you feel?" He asked. "I felt at peace, Master." She answered. He nodded. "Repeat the Jedi Code for me, Silvara." Master Eldren commanded. "Yes Master." Silvara said as she began.
"There is no emotion, there is peace."
"There is no ignorance, there is knowledge."
"There is no passion, there is serenity."
"There is no chaos, there is harmony."
"There is no death, there is the Force."
She ended. Master Eldren nodded. "Tell me what the meaning to the third line?" He asked. "Yes, Master. It means that a Jedi must always act with a calm hand and an even temper." She replied. "Very good Silvara, you have learned much in five years. You are one of the brightest students I've ever had. "Thank you Master, however I believe it was the outstanding teachers I've had." Silvara replied. Master Eldren smiled warmly. "Now as you know we will be leaving for Taris soon, you do your best to prepare it is unheard of a Padawan of your age to go into the field early in your training however I know you are ready. When we arrive just watch and learn." Master Eldren said.
"Master can you tell me about Taris? I understand it is a wasteland?" Silvara asked. "Of course, it use to be a great planet before the Sith destroyed it." He replied. "Why did the Sith destroy it?" She asked. "From what we understand it was to kill one Jedi, Silvara." He replied. "How terrible, Master." She replied shaking off the ill feeling she got. "Master, what will be our purpose there?" She asked. "It will be to control the Rakghoul population in the new settlement area, Silvara. I cannot express enough that caution must be taken. They carry a disease that will cause one that has been bitten to change. However I understand there is a young scientist there that is working on a vaccine, we will be supporting this scientist." Master Eldren finished. "I look forward to it Master, anything to save those that are there seeking to rebuild." Silvara said. Master Eldren smiled again. "I'm glad to hear it. Now let's get back to your training." He said. Silvara nodded and went back to meditating.
Across the galaxy on the red planet of Korriban a young acolyte is facing a entrance to an ancient tomb of a Sith Lord. The boy came to the planet years ago, he had no name. The overseers gave him the name of Ibben. The Overseers disliked the boy but he had a strong connection to the force and has survived many tasks they gave him. Now Ibben was sent on a trail that no one expected him to come back from. Not from the dangers of tomb but from his peers. Especially another acolyte named Krenzen. He was brutal to Ibben, he bullied him since day one and has been the sole cause of many of Ibben's broken bones.
Ibben knew this trial was one to be a set up to make sure he wouldn't return to the academy. All the young man can repeat in his head. "The force will set me free, the force will set me free.." After repeating a few times he walks into the tombs despite his hatred for the Academy and other acolytes he has come to appreciate the long history of the Sith Order and a mutual respect for those strong Sith that have come before. He headed for his assignment, it was to record some writings. However the part of the tomb that is said the writings are in is filled with ravenous dark side beasts. No one has been able to get to the writings. He knew he would die here, he had to gain power to kill the one that killed his parents all those years ago… Lord Maeven. Ibben has come to learn that Lord Maeven is a very powerful Sith Lord. He was determined to become more powerful then Maeven.
As he combed the tombs he noticed it was eerily silent, not even a tukata in sight. Ibben stop when he heard the sound of rocks falling. Then he heard some chuckling. From the shadows three acolytes emerged. One of them was Krenzen. "Look what we have have boys, it's our friend, Ibben." Krenzen spoke. Ibben eyed the other before laying his eyes to Krenzen. The other two had their vibroswords in hand; Ibben knew this was an ambush. The other boys laughed. Ibben wasn't much for words, it was rare he spoke and even when he did his voice was soft.
"Ibben, look around notice anything? Well I'll tell you there is no one else in this part of the tomb. You know what that means, it means another lesson. We told you last time when you succeeded you would be punished and what do you do? You came back with the holocron, so now we have to teach you another lesson, but this time you won't return." Krenzen chuckled "Because accidents do happen." He finished. All three of them chuckled. Ibben spoke low to himself. "The force shall set me free, the force shall set me free." The hate and rage building inside him, he felt it give him power. The other boys stopped chuckling and looked at Ibben. "What did you say, meat?" Krenzen asked. Unlike the other times Ibben's head didn't face up, but this time Ibben looked up at Krenzen with fire in his eyes. "I said… THE FORCE SHALL SET ME FREE!" Ibben cried out force pushing Krenzen to the far end of the room. The force knocked the wind out of Krenzen.
With Krenzen out of the fight for the moment, Ibben slashed out at one of the other boys, the movement was so fast and strong the boy didn't have time to deflect the attack, the vibrosword penetrated deep into the boy's chest crushing his lungs. The boy went flying into the wall dying instantly. The other crony of Krenzen was shocked he charged at Ibben. Ibben with the force behind him force choked the other boy. When he felt the life leaving the boy he force tossed him to the side. By now Krenzen got up and looked at Ibben. Fear crashed over him as he looked at the acolyte that he hated so much, Ibben was glowing with the force. Krenzen held his vibrosword in his hand and stared at Ibben. Ibben stared back. After a few moments of silence both boys charged each other and lashed out. The entire tomb echoed with the sound of vibroswords clashing. Both of them slid to a standing stop. After another moment of silence, Ibben heard. "I will kill…" then a thud hit the ground. Krenzen was dead. Ibben picked himself up and continued with his trial. When he emerged from the tomb several hours later he emerged victorious. In the distance he saw the top of the academy, it is there the boy headed for. It was there an overseer was to pay.
Deep in the academy a dark hooded man was meditating. He smirked when he felt Ibben emerged from the tombs with his new found power in the force. The shadowy figure said. "Finally you have awakened…"