I have been leaving pretty long messages before the start of each chapter so I'll just leave it at here for now.
I don't own the characters.
Years flew past and before I knew it I had risen to the level of Padawan, although that came as a surprise. People called me a prodigy; I thought I just got lucky. Although I have to admit besides all the training on meditation and trying to cool my temper isn't all that bad. I enjoyed the swordfights the most. It was amazing how I could use a simple sword to cause so much damage.
"Concentrate, Ben. Don't let your feelings run wild," Uncle Luke said as he watched me swing the lightsaber. For the time being I was using a training lightsaber so I have yet to make my own. That I would do when he says I am ready, which I wonder when would that be. It's been five years since I have been stuck on this rustbucket of a planet and my parents have came to visit, lets see, maybe once? I'm lucky though that they managed to visit me because I thought they wouldn't even come.
Taking a deep breath, I concentrated on the Force, letting it steady my mind as I brought the sword down. The rock in front of me split with a crack, making others turn their heads as the two pieces fell onto the ground. "Uh, was that supposed to happen?" I asked as Uncle Luke sighed. "In a way but not to this extent," he muttered as he grabbed me by the shoulder and steered me out of the room.
Finding solace in one of the classrooms, he closed the door shut behind us as he turned to face me. "Your powers are growing, Ben and you've mastered them better than I had expected. I'm proud that you made it this far in such a short time," he smiled as he patted my shoulder. I wasn't expecting him to do that and that made me smile a little. It had been a while since the old man actually gave me a compliment.
"Well then now. Onto business. I think you should be ready for this now," he said as he handed me a small round device. I clicked on the middle, a hologram emerging from it to reveal a map. "Is this what I think it is?" I whispered as I stared at the trail leading to what seemed to be a Jedi temple. "You're ready to take on the path of Jedi Knight. Find this temple and build your lightsaber. That is your first step," he said as I nearly hugged him. Not like I would anyway.
"Thank you, Master Skywalker," I said as I turned to leave, almost jumping with joy at the thought of being able to rise in rank. There have been more Jedi Knights now that he restarted the order but not many so I was glad to be able to make it that far in such a short period of time. As I walked to my tiny hut, I stopped outside of Don's one, wishing I could tell him the good news. But knowing better, it would be best to let him know after the test. I knew how he was feeling about getting along with his skills as a Jedi since he had been here twice as long as I have and hadn't progressed as much.
Sighing, I quickly went to pack my things and went to the ship that had been prepared for me. It had been a while since I flew in one and I gladly jumped into it, feeling the controls as I flicked on the switches. There was no leaving committee but I could feel my uncle and mother cheering me on from wherever they are.
I smiled at the droid waiting for me below the ship, waiting to be brought up. "Hang on, R2. Just give me a minute," I grinned as I settled him into the ship. E was a really old droid unit that has seen much better days and was one of the few droids that would actually come with me on a mission since I was considered to be a reckless person. For some reason, R2 made me feel as though someone from my family was by my side at all times. "Ready R2" I called and he beeped in agreement. Turning on the ship, I pressed the ignition and soon found myself in space.
The space around me was black save for stars dotting the area and maybe a planet or two around the area. I punched in the coordinates of the temple and jumped into light speed, letting myself relax as I felt myself take the jump. As white light swirled around me, I brought up the photo of my family, gazing at it as I recalled where it was taken.
It had been the only holiday that we had gone on as a family and it was to the planet of Naboo. The planet was beautiful, rich in nature and the buildings there were beyond what I had seen. Rich in history due to being involved in the clone wars and their architecture, I had ran about the main palace, shouting at my parents to keep up.
I remembered stopping in front of a particular painting of one of the queens, her face regal as she posed for the artist. "Mother, who's that?" I asked as she gazed at it. I could tell that she felt something about the woman in the picture and I thought that they might even look alike in some ways. "She was one of the youngest and greatest queens to rule the planet. Some say she was a prodigy and steered it to greatness when she became a senator," she said as my dad came and shooed us away. After seeing the painting, I thought of how my mother had a look of longing on her face as we left.
Shaking off my thoughts, I realized I had arrived at the designated planet. R2 let loose a series of beeps as I stretched myself. "Calm down, R2. I'm just getting ready for the landing procedure," I muttered. Vrogas Vas loomed in front of me, the winds of dust starting to hit the screen as I touched down. Cursing on why I got sent to such a barren world, I pulled the visor and cloth over my face, blocking out as much dust as I can as I walked to the Jedi temple, R2 hot on my heels.
"Where is it?" I muttered under my breath as I tried to find the structure. Since most of the temples were mostly in ruins by now, I reached out with the Force, searching for the ancient structure buried somewhere in this land. I felt the air around me, the dust and the ground beneath, how the place seemed to be barren of life. I thought I might have been able to pick up a few life form signals or two as I felt myself connect with something.
"Bingo," I grinned as I reached out, bringing the structure to the surface. The temple emerged from the swirling dust, letting me gaze at a structure that was once a magnificent place of study for the Jedi, although I have no idea why they would pick such a desolate world to build it. Less distractions I guess. R2 beeped with agreement as I gave him a knock on the head.
We made our way in, the halls echoing with my footsteps as I came into what seemed to be the main entrance. Statues of past Jedi masters lined the hall, making me shudder a little at the faces that stared down upon me. Reaching out with the Force, I tried to find the Kaber crystal, the thing that would allow me to build my lightsaber. I had even brought some tools with me to build the lightsaber. Better get armed with it in case I got into trouble with some of the locals, if I could even find any.
Thinking about the trials made my stomach roll a little. I knew that Uncle Luke was using the old system but I was hoping he would at least cut through some of the steps since there were so many to go through. As I tried to clear my mind and focus on the task ahead of me, I felt something calling to me, reaching out to me as I tried to hold onto to it. "Come," it called as I reached out, trying to find out the source.
A door in front opened and I walked through it, looking around what looked like a tunnel carved out of rock. Some lights glimmered behind it, as though there were crystals imbedded in it. I held the blaster in my hand for reassurance, watching out for any sort of attacks when I heard a buzzing sound.
"Finally there is a visitor!" a voice spoke as a light shone ahead. "Who are you?" I demanded as I raised the blaster in defense. "Eh? Pointing a blaster at your host?" it snickered to reveal a withered looking bug. "How on earth are you even still alive?" I muttered. "My kind live for a long time and I have served the Jedi for as long as I can remember. What brings you here, young Padawan?" it asked. 'I came here for the Kaber crystal," I replied as it grinned.
"Very well then. This way please," it said as it led me through yet another door to a dark room. R2 gave me a beep of encouragement as he stayed behind, leaving me with the old bug. "Search your feelings and they shall guide you to the crystal. But be warned. Fail and you will suffer the consequences," it said as the door slammed shut behind me. "I know that," I muttered as I closed my eyes, reaching out with the Force for the crystals. I have no idea what I was doing, searching through the blindness like a bat.
I could feel something calling to me and I felt that it was not the crystal from what I know. "So you're here, boy," a voice said as someone appeared from the darkness. I nearly yelled when I fell behind, seeing the person that emerged. The man barely had any skin left on him and he was stark bald. I wondered if he even had any teeth left in his mouth.
"Ah what a place to meet you, young one," he sneered as I held the blaster in front of me and let it loose. It just phased through him and he chuckled. "Shit," I cursed as I just pocketed it. It was just a projection so it must be one of those tests I have to overcome. "Since you're here I assume that you are about to build your lightsaber," he said as I glared at him.
"Yeah and you're in my way so will you kindly let me pass," I said, knowing how he would answer. "Not until you hear the truth," he said as I recalled the voice that haunted my dreams for the past few years. "Wait a minute. You're the one giving me sleepless nights," I said. "Well of course. I have something important to tell you after all. Something about your past," he said as I felt this urge to know even though I shouldn't.
"I don't need to. I have a lightsaber to build," I said as the man chuckled. "Oh but you will need to see this," he said as he disappeared from sight. Breathing a sigh of relief, I was about to advance when I heard a hissing sound from in front of me. The sound of footsteps soon followed and I gaped at the sight before me. A man had emerged and he was none other than Darth Vader.
"Wait a minute! What are you doing here?!" I yelled as I tried not to panic, using the Force to grab chunks of rock from the walls and hurl them at him. "Do not resist the dark side, boy," he snarled as I fired the blaster at him. "So I have to defeat you eh?" I said as I felt the Force around me, letting the walls around me shake. I knew it was a stupid idea to cave the area around me but I guess I didn't have much of a choice.
"Impressive. I didn't know that my bloodline was this powerful," he said as I stopped in mid motion. "What do you mean bloodline? I am not related to you in any way," I hissed as he chuckled. "Oh aren't you?" he whispered as he ignited his lightsaber and rushed at me. I let the ground beneath me shake, making him stumble a little before I found myself face to face with him.
"So I meet my end here?" I groaned as he chuckled. "I won't kill you. Not today," he said as he pressed his helmet against me. I gasped as I felt some images flow into me, one of them containing the woman I saw on Naboo. "What is she doing here?" I whispered. "She was my wife you see," he said as the image flashed to her giving birth. There was another image of a man screaming in agony as he was being rebuilt piece by piece. I shuddered at the thought of being torn apart like that.
"No. Don't tell me," I begged as the image flashed to a younger image of Uncle Luke, his bloody stump of an arm bleeding as Darth Vader faced him off. "I am your father," he whispered as Uncle Luke let loose a wail. My heart raced, hearing the truth about my unknown lineage. I never expected to be linked to the very man who threw the entire Jedi Order into chaos.
"No!" I screamed as I lashed out, the walls around me shaking as my power went out of control. I felt the ground shaking and the hiss behind the mask as Darth Vader watched on. "Such raw power! Such anger! If you come to the dark side, I would surely make use of that power," he hissed as I shook my head, trying to block out the reality of my lineage.
"Never. I will never be like you," I hissed. "But you are like me. You have my blood. You've seen it in their eyes, haven't you? That look of fear. Even hatred," he whispered as I recalled how I was treated by my parents and Uncle Luke. Their faces floated in front of me, the words on their lips inaudible to me as I lashed out with everything I had.
"Enough!" I screamed, the ground caving in to leave both of us standing over a pool of hot lava. Sweat popped from my brow as I steeled myself, wishing I hadn't lashed out so much. "That's it. Use the Force to kill me," he said as I grinned a little too savagely. "But you're already dead," I said as he chuckled. "We will meet again soon, my grandson," he said as he diminished into a blue crystal.
It hovered in the air for a moment before I used the Force to bring it to my hands. I stared at the Kaber crystal, the light blinding me as I pocketed it. "That took you long enough," the gatekeeper said as I exited the passage. I felt like I had just ran for miles, my body shaking as I sat down, pulling out my tools to make the lightsaber. I crossed my legs together, letting myself calm down a little before I began the procedure.
"You're making it now, kid?" the bug asked as I started to use the Force to bring about the bits and pieces together. Metal began to link together and not long after I had a lightsaber in my hands. Grinning, I placed the Kaber crystal into its slot and closed it, igniting the blade. Blue shot out of the tube, whirring to life as I swung it around.
"I did it," I whispered as I sank to my knees, exhausted from the entire task. I knew I had to get back soon so I just said goodbye to the bug of a gatekeeper and took my leave. Sitting in the cockpit as I flew into space, I could only stare at the lightsaber, thinking of what I had just learnt. R2 gave a few beeps of concern but I batted him off, sleeping for the rest of the way until we returned to the Jedi temple.
