The day dawned bright and clear, a cool, brisk breeze rustling through the trees. Elonia watched the sun rise over the Temple, her home for the past three months, perched on a high rock outcropping. The rising sun illuminated the clouds with a ruddy glow and cast shadows across the lines of the Jedi Temple. Somewhere, far away, a wingmaw's cry sounded.
Finally, with some reluctance, Elonia stood and launched herself off the outcropping, landing neatly in a crouch. It was time to face Master Litt.
Although she had not yet begun her final Trials, Elonia had attracted plenty of attention from her fellow Padawans for her unusual power with the Force and skill with the lightsabre. She had enjoyed it, of course, but now the latter was to be put to the test. Only if she won the sparring match against Master Litt could she claim the title of being the greatest duellist on Tython.
When she had accepted, Elonia had been confident of her victory, but now much less so. Master Litt was old enough to be experienced and skilled, yet still strong and quick, and as rumour said, he had never been defeated. Many of the greatest aspiring Jedi had tried, and now Elonia would as well.
She walked briskly to the training arenas and picked up her training sabre, modified to feel the same as her lightsabre. She took the weapon in her hands, holding it out in front of her in a vittorath stance, trying to achieve perfect clarity and focus. She had no choice this time; she would have to fight as a Jedi.
"Are you ready?" said Master Litt.
Elonia had, in the true spirit of the Jedi, sensed his arrival, and nodded.
"Let's begin."
She glanced over to the surprisingly large crowd of Jedi watching them, and with the barest hesitation, stepped into the paved circle. As she had been taught, she imagined her emotions flowing away, into the ground. It was surprising how much easier it was now that she had become used to it.
The combatants circled each other, their movements sure and graceful, as each waited for the other to make a move. Finally, sensing Master Litt's lapse is concentration (for although Force powers were disallowed during such a competition, there was no turning off a Jedi's constant Force sense), Elonia struck, slashing high. Master Litt blocked the move easily, countering with an attack to Elonia's side. Elonia, too, parried, and settled into a precise and efficient vittorath form.
As she fought - mostly defensively, though she had not planned to go for an early offensive - Elonia was analyzing Master Litt's fighting style. He, like all the others she has fought, was stronger than her, but slower. He also used a form similar to her vittorath form, moving with efficiency rather than power and attempting to exhaust his opponent.
Elonia realised that her current tactic wasn't going to get her anywhere and took a chance, switching gracefully into the full offensive of the shimath form. Neglecting efficiency for speed, she battered Master Litt's defences, trying to overwhelm him with her attacks. Master Litt did not go down easily, but Elonia persisted, her training blade flashing in an unavoidable web. Finally, her training sabre lightly tapped his shoulder and the match ended.
Master Litt lowered his training sabre and nodded.
"Well fought, Padawan. I did not expect you to defeat me."
"Nobody does," said Elonia. "And well fought."
With the last of the ceremonial words finished, some of the younger Padawans cheered, although most of the watching Jedi just politely and impassionately clapped. Elonia wasn't about to suppress her emotions now, however, letting joy fill her. She couldn't resist smiling as she walked out of the paved circle as the greatest duellist on Tython.
Although still considered a Padawan, Elonia had learned more than some full Jedi Knights and often had time away from her studies to do as she wished. Now, she took that time to work on one of her projects, taking measurements of the cave where she had appeared. So far, she had discovered nothing unusual using any of the devices, but the project made her feel like she was doing something about returning to her universe, and put her worries about the Kenili of her home at ease.
Even before entering the cavern, however, Elonia sensed that something was wrong. Whether it was her Kenilath's "feelings" or her newfound Force sense, she knew with foreboding certainty that something bad was about to happen - and soon. She ran into the cave, every Force-enhanced sense on edge.
A Padawan, perhaps a bit older than her, stood near a wall of the cavern, intently examining something on one of the rocks. An instant before the wall of the cave collapsed, Elonia realized what was about to happen.
"Watch out!" she called, already running to the Jedi trainee.
He turned to her, surprised and confused, just as the rocks came down.
Elonia reached for the Force and formed a dome of energy around herself and the Padawan. Rocks and debris crashed down around them, glancing off of the walls of the dome. When the dust had settled, the Padawan looked around himself, realizing the danger that he had been in.
"Thanks," he said shakily. "How did you know..."
"I sensed it," said Elonia. "Premonition is... interesting."
"I would imagine so. Obviously, mine isn't really working. The name's Winter, Winter Snwahs."
"Elonia," she said brusquely. "You're Master Orgus's apprentice, eh?"
Winter looked surprised.
"Yes. Why...?"
"Are you here for your Trials?"
"Eventually, if things don't keep on getting interrupted."
A sudden memory came to Elonia.
"Tell Master Orgus to be careful. There's a former Jedi who's going to take him captive."
Before Winter could ask her how she knew, Elonia was walking away. There was something eerily familiar about him that she couldn't seem to remember. It's probably nothing, she thought, but the certainty remained.
She had known this Winter before.
Master Satele slipped into the familiar trance of meditation, turning her senses to the future. She knew not to push the Force; it would tell her what she needed to know - no more, no less.
The vision came immediately this time, showing her the vague image of a shadowed room. It could have been anywhere in the galaxy or beyond, plain and undecorated apart from red carpeting toward the centre and faint markings of the Imperial insignia on the walls. A dark-robed figure knelt on the carpet, darkness and power emanating from it. Even through the vision, Master Satele could tell that this being was ancient and craved destruction.
The walls of the room suddenly shook, and the floor tipped forward slightly. So, a ship, then. A loud explosion could be heard, but the figure didn't stir from its meditation. The air became thick with anticipation.
Suddenly, a glowing line melted through the door of the room. Another followed, forming an X. The weakened door blew open, presumably by the power of the Force, and a young Jedi Knight entered, both green-bladed lightsabres drawn. Elonia, Master Satele recognised. She was quickly followed by Master Orgus's gifted Padawan, Winter.
"You could have just used the control panel," said the figure in a gravelly voice, rising to its feet. "I did not lock it." Master Satele now confirmed her suspicions of it being the Emperor. His face was hidden by the cowled hood of his robe, but his crimson eyes glowed out of the darkness.
"What would be the fun of that?" quipped Elonia with a smirk. "You don't get a lot of chances to make this kind of entrance."
"I killed the puppet you were controlling the last time we met," said Winter gravely. "You will not escape, either."
"What makes you think I will need to?"
The Emperor drew his lightsabre, immediately flinging Force lightning at Winter. The Jedi Knight ignited his own blue lightsabre and blocked the lightning. Elonia launched herself at the Emperor, lightsabres overhead...
The vision ended as quickly as it had begun. Master Satele considered this new information slowly, as she had been taught to, but it was already clear what it meant. Elonia, for all her faults, would remain loyal to the Republic and Jedi Order, attempting to rid the galaxy of the evils of the Emperor.
Master Satele had been hesitant to clear Elonia for her final Trials with the Jedi Council, fearing as Master Melias did that she would not be controlled, but that was no longer in question. Perhaps she would not adhere to the Jedi Code as closely as most other Padawans, but in all other ways she was ready.
Ready to win this war for the Republic.
Darth Nox, the newest - well, second newest, now, she thought, remembering Darth Kala's promotion after the mysterious death of Darth Vowrawn - member of the Dark Council, drew upon the raw rage of the Dark Side, revelling in its power. It seemed so obvious now that this was the right path, but she had dabbled in the Light Side as an apprentice, not so long ago. Her dabbling days were over, however. She was Threats no longer, but instead a powerful member of the ruling Sith, and one that would help decide the Empire's fate in this war.
Darth Nox allowed a rare smile as she pulled her vision into the future, a feat that few of her peers were capable of. It was feat that had saved her countless times, and that the Emperor hoped would save him as well. Darth Nox had her doubts, but she knew better to force the Force when it came to visions, and simply allowed it to show her what it would.
What it showed her was the sight of the meditation chamber of the Emperor's own starship, the Onagia. The Emperor himself knelt on the plush red carpet, apparently meditating on the Dark Side. A sudden explosion sounded, shaking the ship, but the Emperor didn't react.
He didn't need to, thought Darth Nox. He knew every trick and trap on the Onagia, and there were many.
However, the traps must not have held, because a minute later, two young Jedi burst through the door. The girl challenged the Emperor with both blue-bladed lightsabres drawn, wary but confident.
"You could have just used the control panel," said Emperor Vitiate. "I did not lock it."
The Jedi ignored his words.
"You would destroy the galaxy," said the girl, "and for that you must be stopped."
"And you think you could stop me?"
The Emperor laughed humourlessly.
"The Force is with us," said the young man, "and so is justice."
He ignited his lightsabre and charged at the Emperor, while the girl leapt to strike him down...
Darth Nox blinked away the remnants of the vision, a sudden sense of foreboding coming over her. Whoever these Jedi were, they were powerful beyond their years, enough so to pose a threat to the Emperor she had sworn to protect. If the Emperor fell, then so would the Empire. With that thought, Darth Nox knew what she had to do. To protect the Empire she loved, she would have to forget her ambitions of power - at least for the time being. She would have to do her duty as the Emperor's Wrath and destroy these Jedi before the vision could become reality.