Act: I Birth
Chapter: V Dark Side Child
Jedi Temple Coruscant 2998 B.B.Y
Kerrin awoke with a jolt. Something was wrong, very wrong. He reached out with the Force and searched the temple. Something was missing, he knew it, but he couldn't figure out what. Then it hit him.
"Arron!"
Kerrin leapt out of bed. Grabbing his robes, he raced out the door.
* * *
Arron and Seth ran. They raced around piles of junk, not looking whether or not they were being followed. They came to a fork in the path.
"I'll go this way," breathed Seth, pointing at the right path. "You go that way." He pointed at the left path.
Arron nodded and rushed down the left pathway.
* * *
Kerrin found Master Gann in the Room of One-Thousand Fountains, meditating.
"Master Gann! Something's wrong!"
Gann opened his eyes. "What is it?"
"Arron and Seth, they're gone."
A worried look appeared on Gann's face. "Gone?"
"I can't find them in the temple, I sense that they're in danger."
Gann nodded and followed Kerrin out of the room.
* * *
Arron ran until he was out of breath. He came to a dead end. He saw another pathway a while back. He turned to backtrack, but found his way blocked by the man with the red lightsaber.
* * *
Kerrin and Gann raced to the temple entrance. They found a single Sentinel on duty.
"Did any younglings come by here!?" demanded Kerrin.
"No," replied the confused sentinel.
Kerrin swore. He pointed at three other Jedi Sentinels. "You three! Come with us."
* * *
Arron backed away. Fear filled his heart. He stumbled and fell. The man raised his saber.
* * *
Kerrin, Gann, and the three sentinels reached the elevator to the lower city. Kerrin knew Arron had come this way. He could feel it in the force. Kerrin pressed the button on the elevator. Nothing. He swore. Turning around, he saw a speeder parked close by.
"Keep trying the elevator," he ordered the sentinels while he dashed off to the speeder, Gann close behind.
Kerrin leapt into the driver's seat. He fumbled with the ignition. Nothing. Kerrin swore loudly.
"Let me," Gann said.
Gann placed his hand on the dashboard. A small spark of electricity jumped from his finger into the dash. Suddenly, it roared into life. Kerrin pushed the throttle wide and the speeder took off.
I'm coming Arron, Kerrin thought, I'm coming.
* * *
Arron raised his arm to fight off the incoming blow. It didn't come. The man stopped and turned. Arron looked to see what the man was looking at. It was a boy, or Arron thought it was a boy. He was about Arron's height, but his features were obscured by shadows. The figure spoke, but it sounded like a strange rasping. The man replied in with the same rasping. Then the little figure spoke in basic.
"I can't let you do that."
The voice sounded like a boy's, but it was cold, and cruel. The man started toward the boy, but stopped. He was straining against something. Arron looked and saw that the boy's arm was raised, palm facing outward. Then he swung his arm. The man flew off his feet and slammed against a wall. The boy raised his hand and the man rose slightly in the air. The boy then slammed the man into the ground. Arron heard something snap. Again and again the boy raised and lowered his arm, and again and again the man slammed against the ground; each time something else cracked and snapped. Blood poured from the man's mouth and nose. The boy raised his hand and clenched his fist. The man's neck snapped and fell limp. Horror filled Arron as he watched the scene.
Arron glanced at the body of the dead man. Blood continued to pour from its nose. He glanced back at the boy. For a long while the two looked at each other. The boy's face looked familiar. He was just about to say, "thank you" when he heard a noise.
"ARRON!"
It was Seth and he sounded in trouble. Arron glanced toward the direction of the noise and then turned back. The boy was gone.