The Roads We Travel

Chapter 3: End of the Beginning

Kail's P.O.V

(In dorm room)

I wake up groggily as I hear Calorus moving around the apartment like room. "What are you doing?" I asked slowly with a hint of annoyance in my voice. "Getting ready for breakfast and then training." Was his chipper reply. I was almost annoyed that someone could be so happy this early until I remembered what we will be learning today. I got up and went to the refresher and showered. When I came out, I put on a black tunic and black robes. Calorus had on a light brown tunic and dark brown robes just like yesterday. I combed my hair back and then we were off.

When we got to the line for breakfast, I just grabbed rice like yesterday and we sat at the same table too. Five minutes after we sat down, the girls came and sat. Like yesterday, Rebecca was to my right and Dana to my left, with Sara sitting across the table next to Calorus. "Hey guys. What are you going to do today?" Rebecca asked with a smile. "We start our force training today." I say with a nonchalant, at least I tried to be, shrug. "You guys start force training today? I'm still meditating on the Jedi Code." She said with a hint of jealousy. "Don't be jealous. When our training is done we are going to have to fight Sith. Basically, our life expectancy is a lot shorter than yours."

This caused everyone to fall silent, and it made everything awkward. I kind of felt bad for saying it but I felt too weird to say something. Calorus smirked slyly and said "Or it will shorten the Sith's life expectancy." The girls laughed and I smiled a little. It is a little annoying that Calorus is so easy with people but whatever, it's not like I'm jealous.

An Ithorian male walked up and Dana said that she had to go study. "Bye Dana. See you later." Was said by everyone at the table. I realized that it was late and told Calorus. "We have to go. Training is in five minutes." He nodded and sat up as I did the same. "We'll see you later." Calorus said as we walked away.

When we got to the training room Masters Makarai and Zetra were already there. There were blocks around the room and our Masters were putting out two holocrons. Master Zetra looked up from Master Makarai and smiled at us while saying "Just on time. Have either of you ever performed any force move?" We both nodded our heads no and she said "I figured as much. Most kids usually lie though. First you need to learn how to set up mental shields so that no one will be able to read your thoughts. This is a pretty basic move but it's important for you two to learn." The Masters sat in the white lotus position and so did we. "Clear all of your thoughts and imagine bricks... Now place those bricks around your mind and lock them into place. Are you done?" Zetra asked and we both nodded our heads yes. "Alright. If I can sense your thoughts or emotions, you did it wrong... Hmm... Wow, you guys did it perfect on the first try. That's extraordinary."

"I'm glad you got that down fast because there is a lot more to learn. Starting with telekinesis. Follow me outside." Master Makarai said as he stood up and grabbed some of the blocks while Master Zetra grabbed the two holocrons. We all went outside to the back area of the temple. The Masters set down the blocks and the holocrons and sat down in the white lotus position across from the blocks. We did the same and stared at the blocks. "Lift the one in front of you." Makarai said and I blanched because I have tried to lift things before and it never works. "I... I don't know how. I've tried before and it doesn't work for me." Master Makarai looked at me and said "Okay... Imagine a hand. A hand made out of the force. With this hand you pull, push, pick up or choke things. Use the hand Kail. Don't try... Just do." I nodded, closed my eyes and imagined the hand and grabbed the block in front of me and picked it up. "Now crush the block." Calorus and I crushed the blocks we held and opened our eyes.

Calorus' P.O.V

(Outside the temple)

As I opened my eyes, I saw our Masters smiling. Master Zetra nodded and said "Good, now use this same technique to pull another block and then push it." I reached out through the force and grabbed the other block in front of me and then I pulled it towards me. I looked down to see if it worked and it did. This time I kept my eyes open and raised my right hand up and made the block levitate. As the block was in the air facing away from the Masters, I threw my hand out and the block went flying. I turned back towards the Masters and looked to my left at Kail in time to see his block flying out.

"Good job. Do you think that either of you could do that with an X-Wing?" Master Zetra asked and Kail and I looked at each other and then back at her and Kail replied "I don't see why not." She said "Alright then... Let's go see." We all got up and Master Makarai picked up the two mysterious holocrons that they've been taking with us all day. We walked through the temple to the front yard and by the time we got there three other Masters were with us to see what we were doing. There were two X-Wings on a helipad seemingly waiting for us to lift them. I wonder if they had them put there. My thoughts were interrupted when Master Makarai told us to 'lift them'. I looked at the Masters and Master Zetra nodded yes. I turned back towards one of the X-Wings and reached my hand out and then closed it to grip the fighter. I started to lift it but then I got a weird feeling. Like... It was heavy and tiring... On my mind? I put it down before it went further into the air so I could rest. I looked to my left at Kail and could see that he had trouble lifting his too. I took a deep breath and calmed my thoughts and stretched my hand back out. I kept my hand open this time with my palm facing the sky and then I lifted the X-Wing and spun it around to the gasps of the three masters that followed us. Kail looked at me with wide eyes that narrowed as I then lowered the fighter. Was that jealousy that I sensed? Or anger? Maybe both. I couldn't tell because he slapped his mental shields up immediately.

The three Masters walked up to me and the younger Human female with black hair asked me "How did you do that? Didn't you arrive two days ago?" I smiled and nodded saying "Yes I did. Masters Makarai and Zetra taught me." The two mentioned Jedi walked up to us and a blue Twilek female asked "You look like someone... What is your name?" She must have known my dad, I thought as I replied "Calorus Harnet." She looked at me in realization and replied "Harnet. I knew your father. Cadius, if I remember correctly. Am I right?" I nodded kindly and said "Yes ma'am." The last of the three Jedi is a red male Togruta and he said "Good job lifting that fighter Calorus. I look forward to seeing your career. I am Kopel Rahn." The demeanor of this 'Kopel' is that of an overconfident, and perhaps egocentric, person. I was cut out of my thoughts when I heard the Human say "I am Clara Windfield." The Twilek then made a friendly wave while saying "I am Isarra Xern." I bowed to each of them. The three Jedi left and then I turned back to Kail and he still hadn't lifted the X-Wing. "Come on Kail, lift it." He nodded and threw both of his arms out and raised them above his head, lifting the fighter slowly. He set it back down slowly and walked over to me. "What was that about?" He asked with his arms crossed over his chest. "They were congratulating me. But..." I said while wondering if I should tell him about the thoughts that crossed my mind. "But what?" He asked and I replied "There is something about Master Rahn... I don't trust him." He laughed and said "You're just being paranoid." I shook my head no and said "No, really. I can't quite place it but there is something off about him... I can sense it."

Master Zetra walked up to us and said "Alright boys we're going back inside to teach you the most basic lightsaber form. Shii-Cho." I was excited and so was Kail and we both exclaimed 'yes'. We went back into the training room from before and Kail asked "Which forms will we use when we grow up?" Master Makarai turned to us and said "We'll teach you all seven forms. Which ones you prefer will depend on you." He grabbed two helmets with blaster shields on them and gave us one each. "Put it on." Makarai commanded and we obeyed. "I... I can't see anything." Kail said while waving his hand around in front of his face. Wait... How did I know that? "That's the point. You're supposed to use your senses. Open your hands." Master Makarai said and he put what felt like a lightsaber in my hand. "Is this a lightsaber?" I asked and Master Zetra answered "Training lightsabers, set to stun. Turn the droids on. You two'll need to use your senses to block the bolts." I heard the droid power on and charge up a shot. I thought I heard the droid go to my left so I put the blade there and it shot me in my right arm. It stung a little but it didn't hurt. I put the blade back up and heard the droid go to my right and it shot again. I put the blade to my left again but I got hit in my right arm again. That one seemed to hurt a lot more and I exclaimed "Ouch! How am I supposed to do this?" "Calm down and stop trying to use your normal senses and use your force senses. Use the force to boost you normal senses and you'll know where the bolt will be before the droid does." Master Zetra said slowly. I calmed down and breathed in through my mouth and out through my nose. I closed my eyes and felt like I could see the droid moving up and it shot a bolt... Towards my face! I pivoted the blade around my hand and deflected the bolt back at the droid, destroying it. "Good... I guess? That was more like form five than form one. Maybe that's the one that you will master." Master Zetra said as I took off the helmet. "Great job Kail. You're a natural with form one. Alright boys, time for lunch. When you come back, we are going to open the holocrons and watch them."

Kail and I headed out into the hallway and walked towards the cafeteria. We got to the cafeteria line and I decided to get rice this time because all life is sacred right? We got to the table and I asked Kail "How'd you do so well at form one?" He shrugged and replied "It came naturally. I quite like it, I might study past the basics." The girls sat down at that point and Sara asked "Past the basics of what?" I smiled at her in greeting and said "Kail over here is a natural at Shii-Cho." The girls looked at Kail and Rebecca asked "The combat form?" Kail and I nodded our heads yes and I could see the jealousy in Rebecca's eyes. What's up with everyone being jealous today? "You guys are studying combat already? What about the code? Do you even know it?" Kail and I looked at each other and Kail said "Sith Hunters have their own code. We don't have the same as yours and no, we can't tell you." The girls nodded in understanding and Sara asked me "How did you do today?" I laughed at my terrible excuse of form one and said "I suck at form one. I was shot in the shoulder twice. When I finally blocked the blaster bolt, Master Zetra said it was more like form five than one." Kail looked bewildered and said "Really, Cali boy? You lifted an X-Wing!" I shrugged and replied "So did you." Dana gasped and whisper-screamed "You lifted an X-Wing?" Kail looked proud and said "Yep." We were all silent for a moment until Rebecca said "Show us... If you two really know telekinesis, show us." I wasn't going to because that's reckless, but before I could say no Kail said 'okay'.

Kail looked left and right until he saw Veil walking towards Aze with two trays. He smirked wickedly and reached his hand out towards the trays and the trays started shaking. "What?! What's going on?!" Veil screamed as he threw the trays in the garbage. Kail then lifted the garbage can over Veil's head and dumped all of the contents on him. Cries of 'eww' and 'disgusting' echoed in the cafeteria. Luckily, since our training is secret and no one knows that we know telekinesis other than a few masters, we can't get in trouble. Kail and Rebecca laughed but Dana, Sara and I just shook our heads because it was immature. I mean, I'm turning eleven in a month and I don't know about you but I don't have time for foolishness. Suddenly another tray levitated and then started flying towards the back of Veil's head. He's gone too far, I thought as I then reached out through the force to grab the tray before it hit him. The tray stopped in mid air and started shaking due to our mental battle. The kids started looking at the tray but no one knew what was going on because I don't need to use my hands to use telekinesis and Kail's hand was under the table. "Let it go Cal." Kail said with a hint of anger in his voice but I didn't back down. "No Kail. You could hurt the guy." He huffed and suddenly I felt no resistance on the tray. I lowered it back to the floor and everyone just stared at the tray for a moment before going back to their business.

"Sorry." Kail said quietly like he's never said the word before. "Let's just go. We have to watch the holocron. We'll see you guys tomorrow." The girls nodded but didn't say a word. That whole scene was just... Awkward. We walked to the training room and saw the holocrons set up in the middle of the room. "What's on the holocron?" I asked while walking up to my master. "On one, is a map to all known Sith tombs. The other is a map of caves that hold lightsaber crystals." She said while pointing to each as she was talking about them. "Why would we need the locations of Sith tombs? The person in the tomb is already dead." Kail asked while walking towards us. I thought about why they would want us to go to Sith tombs and said "They want us find any thing that could pass the teachings in the tombs to other Sith. If others get their hands on them... There could be new Sith springing up everywhere." "Exactly Calorus... You two will need that holocron. The other is for later though." Master Makarai replied from across the room. "There aren't any crystal caves on Coruscant?" Kail asked while studying the map. "No, there aren't. The planet can't produce them. Or maybe it used to before people settled it." Master Zetra said as she looked at Coruscant on the map.

"When exactly, will our training be done?" Kail asked while looking at Master Zetra. She shrugged and said "There is no telling. Even when you're training is finished, there will be a lot more to learn. Combat training alone will be at least four months. Then advanced force training will be another two or three months. Once your training is finished, you will be named padawans. After that you two will need to find materials on your own to build your lightsabers. That is when you will start going on missions." Master Makarai walked up to us and got on a knee to be near our level. "Are you two ready? Once we begin, it won't be fun and games. This will be a long and grueling process with a lot of meditation. I ask again... Are you ready?" Kail and I looked at each other and then back at Master Makarai "We're ready, my master." Kail said as Master Makarai stood and we bowed.

It's finally happening. I've waited a long time for this day. When I finally start the road to become a Jedi. Now it's even better because with the help of Kail we shall destroy the Sith. Look out Decatus, your days are officially numbered.