Author's Notes:
Hello everyone!
Before this chapter begins, I have some major announcements to make.
Firstly, I will likely be taking more time than usual to write my next chapter.
There are two reasons for this;
1.) I have two major school assignments due in the middle of March, and I need to make them a priority for me.
2.) The next part of the story is going to be the MOST IMPORTANT PART IN THIS NOVEL, so I cannot afford to rush it in one week and screw it up!
So instead of publishing a new chapter every Sunday, I will instead take my time on creating a single, MEGA Chapter which I will announce when it will be published. I will also be making sure to take my time with the chapter to make it perfect instead of rushing it to be released on a single day.
I hope everyone understands!
Also, thanks to everyone who has reviewed my chapters! I know there are things that are not perfect with this series, but I still enjoy writing it and I know you guys enjoy reading it! Every review also helps me stay on the right track or correct what I want to do with the series!
Thanks everyone, and enjoy this amazing chapter!
Karek continued to follow the Jedi Master deep into the forest. The young Jedi enjoyed the long trek, however, as the birds sang in the tall trees which shaded him from the sun. It was a soothing experience, especially compared to the first time he came to this system.
After awhile, the old man came to a halt outside the forest. Karek ran to his side, lifting his head to see what the Jedi Master was looking at. The young Jedi widened his eyes when he beheld the size of the mountain in front of him; he was not even able to see the top of it. Deep down, Karek knew what the old man would tell him to do, but his hopes were shattered when they broke the silence.
"Reach the summit of this mountain before sunrise, and your training will be complete."
The young Jedi turned to the Jedi Master with a look of confusion; as if expecting them to say that it was a joke. However, the old man stood in silence as he continued to look at the mountain.
"I might die if I do this," Karek said, hoping his words would change the Jedi Master's mind.
"All the more reason I am telling you to do this," they replied in a calm tone. "To accomplish this task, you must not only look to the Force for strength, but you must also learn to control your fears."
The old man turned to the young Jedi before continuing; giving him a warm smile as they spoke.
"I would not have given you this task if I did knew you were not ready. Do not doubt your own self or the Force, young Jedi."
Karek reflected upon the old man's words for a moment before nodding, giving the old man a final farewell before he began his journey up the mountain.
'Is he truly ready?'
"I do not know, Master Uldna," the old man replied, "but he must do it. We are running out of time..."
Karek clung onto the cold, wet rocks for dear life as he climbed the mountain. Every second, he would remind himself to keep looking up as he kept moving, but he already knew what was below him. As he kept climbing, the air became more thin and cold, and the winds became stronger as they pushed against him. The young Jedi kept a clear and peaceful conscience, however, knowing the consequences of giving into his fears for even a moment.
The young Jedi came to a ledge and slowly lifted himself over the jagged wall. Before he could even reflect upon how tired he had become, he embraced himself as the intense, freezing wind pierced him. Escaping the wind, Karek took shelter in a nearby cave. As he began to rest, he observed the landscape outside the cave. The sun was setting behind the mountains, and the winds were only becoming stronger. Even though Karek knew that he was close to the summit, he decided that it was best to go deeper into the cave and rest until his energy returned to him.
Karek explored the depths of the cave until he could barely see the entrance. The sounds of howling winds could not longer be heard; only the echoes of water dripping from the stalagmite. Although the rocks were wet and uncomfortable, the young Jedi found it easy to lay on them and rest. Eventually, Karek found the world around him fade to black as he fell into a deep sleep.
'K..ek...'
The young Jedi slowly awoke from his sleep; wondering what it was that awoke him.
'He..p...'
After hearing the faint cry, Karek became fully awake; frantically looking for the source of the familiar voice in the darkness.
'Karek!' the voice echoed.
The young Jedi turned his head towards the depths of the cave; noticing a faint blue light within. Karek instinctively pushed himself off the ground as he broke into a sprint. His heart raced as the light grew brighter, hoping that he would not be too late before-
Karek watched in horror as a hooded figure swung his light saber; the blonde-haired girl's headless body collapsing before her killer. The young Jedi's body did not move as the Sith Lord slowly turned to him; the blue blade illuminating his scarred face and horrible, yellow eyes.
"You are too late," the Sith Lord spoke in a menacing tone.
Although he did not have his light saber, Karek did not hesitate to charge at the killer. He extended his hand and sent a strong pulse towards the Sith Lord, only for them to chuckle as they effortlessly dodged and countered the young Jedi. Karek struggled to continuously avoid the Sith Lord's light saber; its blade nearly cutting his flesh as he retreated.
"I can feel it," the hooded figure said as he continued to stare at the young Jedi. "Your hatred...your fear...your passion! The Dark Side is strong within you!"
The Sith Lord lunged at Karek, laughing as he watched his eyes grow in fear with every moment the young Jedi nearly avoided death. The hooded figure drove his blade towards his victim, but instead cut into the stone wall of the cave. He retracted his blade as he turned towards the exhausted young Jedi, smiling as he slowly walked towards him.
"Embrace the Dark Side! It is the only way to defeat me!"
"Swing your blade and speak your lies all you want." Karek retorted.
The killer's smile quickly turned into a scowl.
"You are a fool!"
The Sith Lord threw his hand forward towards the young Jedi. The ceiling above the young Jedi began to collapse, yet Karek quickly froze the falling rocks in mid-air. Karek suddenly realized that he had left an opening for himself as the Sith Lord charged at him with his light saber in hand. The young Jedi began hurtling the boulders at the hooded figure, but they easily averted each of them as they continued to advance towards him.
Karek thought of one last tactic that might work; throwing one last rock at the Sith Lord. When they avoided it, however, the young Jedi re-directed it; causing the boulder to knock the hooded figure off the ground. The Sith Lord lost his grip of his light saber, and the young Jedi reached out to it and retrieved it.
Karek slowly walked towards his fallen opponent. In an instant, however, the Sith Lord lifted himself from the ground.
"Enough!"
The hooded figure sent a large pulse towards the young Jedi; causing him to fly backwards into the wall of the cave. Karek tried to cry out in pain, but could not as his throat began to tighten. The young Jedi looked down at the Sith Lord below him; an expression of true anger across their face as they stared at his prey.
"Now you shall join that pathetic girl and the friends you have failed!"
Karek desperately tried to gasp for air as the world around him began to disappear. As he felt his body grow colder, his mind once again raced with the thoughts of his past; his friends on Coruscant, the friends he had made on this system, and the two silver-haired men who had guided him when he was lost. These were all people he cared about deeply as much as they cared about him, but he had failed them all. Now, he would die with the regrets that he still carried with him. This was the fate that he truly deserved...
What?...
What was this feeling?...
It is calling out to him...
It is telling him not to fear...
That there is still hope!...
It is telling him to...
LIVE!
Karek felt an immense force rush through his body, and broke free of the Sith Lord's grasp. The hooded figure looked in alarm at the young Jedi before him; awestruck by the power he sensed from him.
"You are the one who is a fool," the young Jedi spoke. "The Dark Side did not make you more powerful. It has only destroyed you and taken away everything you have ever loved."
The Sith Lord screamed as he lunged towards the young Jedi, but his feet left the ground as he flew through the air. He collided with the wall and fell to the ground, struggling to lift himself up as Karek made his way towards him.
"I have feared you for all my life. But now I see what you truly are; a weak man who is controlled by fear."
The hooded man looked up at the young Jedi standing above him, staring into his eyes as he spoke.
"Kill me. It is what you want."
Karek lowered the blade in front of the Sith Lord's face. He stared into his eyes for a long time before he spoke.
"No," he said, deactivating the light saber and throwing it away. "I will not become like you again."
The young Jedi gave a final glance at the Sith Lord before walking away. He stopped and turned to face him once more, but the hooded figure was no longer there. Shocked, Karek wondered what had truly happened; realizing that the entire encounter was nothing more than a dream. As he travelled through the cave towards the entrance, he determined that whether it was real or not, he knew that it changed him for the better...
The final climb up the mountain was a peaceful one. The moonlight illuminated his path, and the once strong wind has now a calm breeze. Karek's endurance did not fade as he continued to make his way to the summit. His new found strength in the Force gave him all the energy he needed to reach the top of the mountain.
After climbing the last stone wall, the young Jedi rejoiced the success of his task. However, he became confused when he sensed someone else nearby.
"Hello."
Karek turned to the source of the familiar voice; his eyes widening as he recognized the old man sitting near him.
"How did you get up here?"
"Same way you did, of course," the Jedi Master said with a warm smile. "Come. Sit next to me."
The young Jedi did not question the old man said as he took his place next to them; staring out over the scenery with him. Although it was not yet dawn, Karek was amazed at just how great the mountainous valley was.
"I sense a great change in you, young Jedi," the Jedi Master said with contempt. "The darkness that was once within you is no more. I am glad."
Karek was about to speak until he recalled the event that had changed him.
"Why did I see those things in the cave? What were they?"
"What you saw in that cave was the embodiment of your greatest fears," the old man replied, "and you have defeated them. Your training is now complete."
"'Now'?" the young Jedi questioned. "I thought my training was the climb up this mountain."
The Jedi Master closed his eyes and remained silent for a long time; thinking of the words he wanted to say to the young Jedi.
"You remind me of the man I once was, young Jedi. I was afraid, lost, and ashamed with myself. I fled to escape those things, and found myself here. I isolated myself in this forest and vowed never to have any relations with anyone again. I I did not want the darkness that I had within me to grow, but the isolation only did the opposite. But then, one day, something incredible happened. Four maidens visited me, and they taught me how to live again. They taught me to let go of my fears and be thankful for my life. I shall never forget them, or what they have done for me."
The old man turned his head to look at the young Jedi before continuing.
"What I told you to do these past few days, I did so that I could teach you what they had taught me. I wanted you to appreciate the life you have been given and let go of your past. I am thankful that I succeeded."
The young Jedi did not speak as he contemplated what the Jedi Master told him. Karek had no idea that they had suffered just as he did, and began to feel pity for the old man. Before he could say anything, however, the Jedi Master broke the silence.
"Now, I shall fulfill the promise I made to you. I shall teach you to become one with the Force."
The old man turned towards the valley; closing his eyes as he slowed his breathing. Karek knew that he was to do as he was doing.
"Clear your mind." the Jedi Master said peacefully.
Karek became still as he removed all thoughts from his mind. He began to sense the entire world around him; the swaying of the trees, the animals in the forest, the fish in the river. The young Jedi could sense it all.
"Now concentrate, and go beyond the world around you."
Karek did not know what the Jedi Master had meant. What did they mean by going 'beyond'? As the two meditated in silence, the young Jedi tried to understand the meaning of his words. When he considered it, he realized that he was to connect with the entire Force. Clearing his mind once more, he did as the Jedi Master said.
Suddenly, the young Jedi began to sense the land beyond the valley. He saw the Academy, then the four kingdoms, then the the many systems beyond Remnant. Karek could sense everything.
"Can you feel it?" the Jedi Master questioned.
"I can," he replied.
"Now, let it in..."
"Oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy-"
"Stop being so noisy, Ruby!" the white-haired heiress cried out.
"I can't help it!" the young huntress moped. "Can't you hear the roaring of the crowd?! They're calling out to me!"
"They could care less about you!"
"Weiss!"
The two members of team RWBY continued to bicker as they waited to be called out for their match. The excitement of the Vytal Tournament was too much for the scythe-wielder to handle, but her other teammates were far from excited.
The blonde boxer stood in silence as she leaned against the metal wall. She could feel the vibrations of the crowd above; but that was not what was on her mind.
"Are you feeling alright?" the black-haired faunus asked her teammate.
"Huh?"
Yang's concentration broke as she heard the voice of her teammate who was giving a worried look. Instantly, she forced a wide smile on her face as she began stretching her arms.
"Yeah! 'Course I am! Couldn't be better!"
Blake did not buy her teammate's lie for a second.
"I know you're still hurt, Yang." The black-haired faunus placed her hand on the blonde boxer's shoulder before continuing. "I'm here for you when you want to talk."
Yang's face turned to one of confusion as she continued to smile at her teammate.
"I'm fine! Really!"
A bell resounded throughout the team room as a green light above them turned on; signalling them to enter the arena.
"Let's go kick some butt, girls!"
"Ditto, sis'!"
The blonde boxer rushed past Blake as she joined her sister's side. Defeated, the black-haired faunus sighed as she caught up with the rest of team RWBY.
The four girls were blinded for a moment as they stepped out into the arena. They looked around them in awe at the masses that were watching them from the stands and the countless cameras recording their every movement. The blonde boxer waved at the cameras as she saw herself on the large, holographic display; her false cheerful sense fooled the crowd as their cheers grew.
'Ladies and gentlemen!' a voice resounded throughout the arena. 'Welcome to the first Team Round of the Vytal Tournament!'
The two teams made their way to the center of the arena, stopping near feet from their opponents.
'The rules are simple! The first team to deplete the auras of their opponents wins and moves on to the next round!'
Suddenly, the ground shook as the floor of the arena around them opened. Biodomes began to rise and surround the two teams; one of pure ice, and another that looked like a volcano. The two teams activated their weapons and prepared themselves for combat.
'Let the match begi-'
The announcer's voice became muffled as a deafening echo resounded in the arena. The entire colliseum became silent as they looked up at what had caused the disturbance. To everyone's shock, an unfamiliar, gigantic combat ship had suddenly appeared above the arena...
TO BE CONTINUED...