Another chapter! I'm so excited about this one because we're finally getting into the core of the first part of Aris and her story. Please leave any comments or message me if you have any recommendations. Happy reading :)

Chapter Fourteen: A Jedi's Weapon

5 BBY, Ilum

They had been walking for many miserable miles. The winds had picked up hours ago, and Aris had long lost feeling in her face. She was so so cold. The heavy jacket Axel had the smarts to pack had long lost any warmth. It was frozen over, icicles hanging from every edge.

Axel looked equally as miserable. His face was covered in a heavy cloth as he pulled his coat hood tighter around him as a shield against the elements. He was visibly shivering as he walked, hand tucked so deep in his coat that his strides grew less and less sure with every step.

A life on Tatooine did not prepare her for this kind of weather. It was in these moments that Aris, for the first time, missed the sprawling desert home she had always known. It could kill her but dying of heat was far worse than freezing to death.

If only Obi-Wan could see her now.

"You were right, you know." Axel's voice sounded from ahead of her. It was a whisper in the wind yet she heard it all the same.

"Not surprising, I'm usually right."

She, at once, sensed a twang of amusement and annoyance in the Force. It was a surprising feeling as Axel, like all Jedi, masked his emotions with almost mechanical diligence. She had not felt anything she from him other than during their argument.

Perhaps, she was actually edging her way into being trusted by the Jedi.

"I do them an injustice to let their memories die," he plunged on as if she hadn't spoken, "They were good and strong Jedi. I loved them. They deserve more."

"You never mentioned it was Plo Koon you were trained by. He was-"

"A legend? He was powerful and wise and capable beyond any Jedi I had ever met. All my time under him, I felt I was living in his shadow. I thought I would never impress him. Yet, now he's dead. It's funny how trivial those things seem now."

"My master's once had another apprentice," Aris found herself saying, watching his back as they walked, "He was strong yet he died in Order 66. But, even now, I constantly find myself in his shadows. I always get compared to the worst things about him…his emotions, his anger. But, never his best. He won't speak of him other than when he forgets I'm actually me."

"Anakin Skywalker, he was supposed to be the best of us. The most powerful Jedi in the Order. I didn't know him personally…but it saddens me to know he is dead. He was supposed to be the Chosen One, the one to defeat the Sith."

"The prophecy was wrong," Aris muttered tensing at the mention of her Master's esteemed Padawan, "Perhaps another will find the balance."

"Or perhaps there is no balance. There is only light and dark. A constant battle that has waged for thousands of years between Sith and Jedi. It may never end."

His words were depressing.

Yet, her bitterness stopped instantly upon nearing the great sight that was her destination. A great hole was hidden in the side of the cliff. As they grew near, it stretched above them for miles. The entry way into the Jedi Temple that housed her crystals.

"It wasn't like this before," Axel turned to her, stopping abruptly. Though his lower face was hidden, his brilliant blue eyes were nearly frozen shut as small icicles hung from his nose and lashes, "They've blown the whole entrance open. There used to be statues and….and a door. They've ruined it."

There was grief in his voice though Aris knew not how to comfort him. She marched past him, almost running towards the caves. They grew nearer and nearer. The closer she got, the more she could sense what was and what could be.

As she stepped inside, her heart stilled as horror settled around her.

The cave stretched for miles on both sides and, though it filled her with an unnatural warmth, she saw the shattered destruction of what was. Each step she took into the massive cave was met with the crack of already shattered kyber crystals as the met the bottom of her boot.

The deep gauges in the wall revealed what had happened. The Empire had indeed come in as Zimmer had said. They had stripped and destroyed the very place where the Jedi's journey started. They had taken it all in their greed and hate.

It made her angry. And the anger festered in her heart drawing from within. She shook with the force of it, gritting her teeth to will herself not to scream.

A hand smacked down on her shoulder. And, suddenly, Axel's palm was the only thing holding her together. She couldn't let him see her like this. She had to be stronger. Yet, she was weak.

The familiar burn of tears caused her to tear away from him yet his gripped her all the more.

"Aris," he said, "There is still hope here. You must open up your mind."

"There is no hope," she turned on him, and the tears were indeed falling, "They've taken the only chance I had at being a Jedi away from me!"

"A lightsaber does not make a Jedi. You forget…the lightsaber is also the weapon of the Sith. It is a tool or it is a weapon. It is our disciplines, our morals, our heart…that is what makes a Jedi. Surely, Obi-Wan Kenobi taught you this."

He had.

She remembered the moment with so much clarity then. It was almost a wonder she had forgotten it. Though, she supposed she had not thought much of Obi-Wan while running around smuggling. But, now, she was once more on the path he had set of for her. Her vision was becoming true with every step.

Obi-Wan parried her strike with easy, spinning his saber in just a way that her own went sailing through the air. She watched in muted horror as lightsaber retracted upon impact with the sand. Falling to her knees, she accepted another defeat.

"I'll never win," she moaned, falling backwards onto the sand to look up at the stars, "You'll always be better."

"You don't win because you use your lightsaber like a weapon," her Master slide down next to her, and she turned to stare up at his crinkled blue eyes and his sharp grin.

"It is a weapon!"

"The lightsaber is a weapon for the Sith, Aris. The lightsaber is a tool, an extension, for the Jedi. It is used to channel the Force, our energies, as an extension of our heart and mind and soul. You must feel it burn through you so every wave is like a mere flick of a finger, every parry a mere step."

Then, she felt it. It was faint yet it glowed around her at her feet. The kyber crystals were still alive with energy. Broken and shattered, yes. But, they were alive and they breathed. It was beautiful.

"I feel them," she said at last with a loud laugh of joy, as her angry released from her in a cloud of breath, "I sense it. The energy…the Force."

"Good, focus on it. Close your eyes and mediate. This process can take many days, you know. It took me nearly four. But, since we haven't got that sort of time, I suggest you get to work."

The girl was strong in the Force. He had known it since the moment they met. It sizzled around her, catching his attention so potently it was almost off-putting. Yet, it was uncontrollable. Her emotions were constant and unyielding, crushing down on him like a heavy weight. Aris bounced between rage and peace within minutes. She was an enigma. A volatile timebomb. An undeniable sign of something great to come.

She was not evil, Axel knew this deep in his heart. She had good intentions and a connection to the Force that would shake any Jedi. But, despite this, he wondered deep in the night if bringing her to Ilum was a good choice.

He was fond of her. She was riveting and smart and beautiful. And he liked her spirit. It was a strong ember in an unyielding wind, never dying and never bending. She was certain in only one thing and that was her own undeniable part to play in the future of the Jedi Order.

Despite this, weariness haunted his dreams. Axel saw death and destruction in their future.

She was sitting crossed legged on the floor below him, face at peace for the first time since they had met.

Her sleep was not peaceful, that was to be sure. She was plagued by nightmares unlike anything he had known. Once, he tried to break into her mind. Never again would he commit such an act. Her pain and fear were too much for him to bear, it weighed on him even weeks after. Her dreams had shaken him, bringing up emotions of fear and anger he had long thought he had suppressed.

Aris Valar had been there when the Jedi Temple had been attacked. She had seen the death of all her classmates. Only a child, she wore those scars for all to see. They were in every action she made. Cold to those on the outside, she was an internal fire waiting to explode.

It was frustrating how compelling she was. Kai had sensed it too. She had the ability, a rare one, to use the force in her words and her actions. She could inspire hope. And she could inspire fear. It was a constant battle in her mind.

And he would help her. He would help her because, although she was not soft, she was good and loyal. He would help her because he knew she would have a role to play in the new world, be it good or bad.

The snow had long stopped, and an eerie chill had taken over the land. From his place crouched in the doorway, he looked out towards the small ship that sat in the distance.

They would be coming. It was only a matter of time. They might have bought themselves time going through the mountains rather than around, but it was only so long before a patrol went out to look for the rouge ship that had entered their radars.

It was his hope they underestimated them as rebel members. Though, it was an unlikely dream. No one came to Ilum unless they were looking for something. If it was true that the Sith knew of Aris and her abilities, they were likely coming with the strength of the Force at their back. Only a fool looking for a lightsaber would come to Ilum so willingly, and they would not be ill prepared. Darth Vader had ensured the destruction of the Jedi, and he had trained his followers to follow in his footsteps with blood and death.

The sound of whizzing air caused Axel to lunge back inside in alarm. Yet, as he entered fully, he paused in fascination as two broken crystals circled her form. He could not see their color yet but they landed swiftly in each of her open palms.

And, like clockwork, she began to mentally assemble her lightsaber. The pieces flew around her head in circles as she grabbed at them as needed, clicking them into place with guidance of the Force.

Axel sat near, watching in avid fascination as she manipulated the crystals. They were blue and green and so so small. Broken and shattered, he knew what that meant. It meant disarray. It meant a lack of control. Broken kyber crystals were given to unsteady users.

A sinking feeling filled his gut.

Aris felt a lurch in the Force. A dark energy filled her thoughts, and she was thrown out of her meditation as the realization that they had been found filled her. Stumbling to her feet, Aris threw herself towards the cave exit and out into the cold brisk snow.

She made out Axel's lean beige-clad form instantly. He was standing tall and erect, gaze latched onto a dark starship that had landed not a mile north of their momentary shelter. He turned to her, sensing her distress, and she saw relief.

He had evidently sensed the intruders long before they had arrived. His hair, black as oil, was lined with white ice. Between that and his pallid face, he looked sick. Yet, he looked like a Jedi with his robes fully on and his lightsaber weighing in his hand.

"I wish we could celebrate your success," he tilted his head towards the finished saber in her right hand, "But, we've got company."

Two tall figures were making there was towards them at a steady march. The figures were unrecognizable from the distance. But, Aris knew without a doubt that they were Inquisitors of the Sith. She could sense their vague connection to the Force, and the black robes they wore were evidence enough. There was hatred and rage and pain, and they let it all out into the open for all to see. She could sense everything. And it scared her.

"We have to fight," Axel muttered, at last, "We won't make it to our ship without buying ourselves time."

Aris weighed her lightsaber in her hand, relishing in the fact it seemed perfect for her hand and her balance. It hardly felt there at all, yet she could sense it's power, its life, so easily.

Pursing her lips, Aris nodded. With determination, they duo set forward with their lightsabers in hand. Only stopping when there was a ship length between them and their opponents.

"It's always a welcome surprise when we go hunting for one rogue Jedi and instead find two," the obvious leader of the group spoke, his voice was light yet precise and controlled.

He was a tall grim Pau'an. Even from the distance, he was massive in height, garbed in a dark metaled Imperial uniform that only seemed to broaden his appearance. He grinned at them, sharp teeth like knives reflecting in the sunlight. His face, long and white, was bathed in red streaks like blood. They scared her yet his eyes were what filled her with real fear. They were a horrible bright yellow, eying them with obvious curiosity.

"We've been looking for you for many months, young Jedi," the second Sith said, his voice was deeper and equally as controlled, "Ever since your little run in on Naboo."

So, this was the Sith who had been called in to find her. This was the Sith who had followed her to the destruction of the base on Kashyyyk. This was her shadow who was always a step behind.

He was not nearly as intimidating as the other. He was shorter and slighter yet he jittered with an odd energy. It was raw, and it flew out around him like an uncontrolled whip. What species he was, she could not say. But, he looked like a walking corpse. Eyes, red and sunken. Face, half covered in a mutilated mask.

"I am the Grand Inquisitor, and this is my second, Rha Khan. Surrender to us now, and we'll take you alive. Our Master is quite interested in you, girl. He wants to question you personally."

Aris was both horrified and flattered that the great Darth Vader was interested in her enough to both know of her existence and to want her alive.

"I'm afraid he'll have to come for me himself," Aris replied, stepping into stance instantly and igniting her lightsaber at her side. The cyan color, a mix of blue and green, flickered across her face in an unsteady line of light. Next to her, Axel's own green lightsaber came to life. The two Sith followed. One red lightsaber igniting after the other.

There was a tense moment of silence as they waited. Aris and Axel shared a heavy look. The only sound between them was heavy breathing and the flickering lightsabers.

It was no surprise that the Sith moved first. Rha Khan started forward spinning out towards her in a flurry of red light. He pushed down harshly, and Aris pushed back with all her might. Flinging out her hand, she created just enough space between them to flip backwards and redirect her form.

He was on her again before she could even blink, and she met him with equal strength. In a flurry of heavy movements, she was barring down on him with all her might, pushing the Force to support her every strike. She had always been more proficient in the offensive forms that relied on speed and agility.

Flipping over his head, she attempted to strike him through the back but was met with a swift block and a kick to the face. Gasping, Aris could feel the blood trickle into her mouth yet she sputtered through it. Spinning and flipping in quick succession, she was barring down on him again, gritting her teeth and yelling.

She could feel herself becoming tired as her endless flips and kicks and heavy blows wore down at her body. She could also feel the Inquisitor growing more desperate in his attacks. He was an offensive player too yet she was cornering him one every side, leaving him to play the offense with feeble blocks and physical attacks.

Aris heard Axel's scream just as her lightsaber went flying through her opponent's skull. His body crumbled instantly, meeting the chilled ice with a heavy smack that made her heart lurch. Turning slowly, she met the eyes of the last Sith standing.

Axel was on his back, eyes closed. He was not dead, but he was injured. She could see the fizzing wound on his abdomen, the smell drifting through the crisp dead air in a heavy draft.

"It took me a moment," the Grand Inquisitor said, moving forward casually, "to recognize your friend's Master. He's had a few, I would think. But, then it occurred to me, Plo Koon. A legendary fighter. He does him a disservice with the performance he put on today."

"How-"

"The Jedi Archives are very extensive. I've studied them. I know your people like the back of my hand. Let us see if I shall be able to place you, girl."

They both moved at once. Leaping through the air to meet in a brilliant clash of light. She flipped past him, dodging his blade and then barring down on him at once. He met her instantly, meeting her counterattack with a harsh strike of his own. Aris gritted her teeth as their lightsabers held together. He was far stronger than his ally. Her arms shook with the effort of holding back his attack.

In a movement of desperation, she let her arms collapse, ducking under his blade and landing a harsh kick to his stomach that sent him reeling. He stumbled backwards, stopping momentarily to watch her pacing form.

"A great master trained you. They were a master of offense and defense, I should think…yet who?"

She threw herself towards him, flipping through the air and landing a heavy blow on his raised lightsaber. He threw her back with an abrupt movement of his sword, bearing down on her collapsed form. Quickly, Aris raised own hand, stopping his lightsaber mid-movement as it swung through the air.

Their eyes met as his will clashed with hers. The combination of his control of the Force and his momentum were slowly breaking through her defense. Frantically, she scrambled backwards just as the lightsaber swung through the place where she had been sitting. Scrambling to her feet, she dodged the attack he threw at her back.

At this point, Aris knew she was just trying to survive. He was stronger, better, and far more experienced than she was. She was blocking his attacks but barley, dodging away whenever she could.

"You Master taught you well. But, you are weak because you question yourself. You're overthinking it. Let yourself feel."

With a scream, Aris flung out her hands. The Sith went flying, spinning through the air and landing harshly on the floor with a smack. He looked up at her from the ground, blood laced through his teeth as he grinned cunningly.

"I am not weak."

"No, you're not," he said, rising slowly, "You're trapped. I see that now. Held in a struggle between light and dark. It's a pitiful dilemma, in truth."

Before she could respond, a burst of sound erupted across the fields as the Grand Inquisitor was met with the Force from Axel's push. Instantly, Aris threw her hands up to add her own strength, and the Sith went flying.

With all her might, Aris pulled Axel to his feet, slinging his arm around his shoulder and willing him to find his strength. They were hobbling across the icy floor, using everything in them to make it to their ship alive.

Aris dared to look back.

He was staring at her, making no move to follow. Instead, he raised a hand in a slow farewell. Aris felt her face spasm in horror.

That was more unsettling than anything he could have done.

It meant see you soon in every sense of the word.

His words stayed with her even as she set course for Metellos. And they would stay with her for nearly every day after that.

You're trapped.

Aris tried her best to pilot the ship out of the Ilum atmosphere. It was damaged enough as is, but she had never been a great flyer. She was decent, if not good, for a novice. But, that was more because of the Force guiding her than her actual skills. With how her hands were shaking, she wasn't even sure if she'd make it to lightspeed without them crashing.

"Fuck," she muttered as Axel gave a groan of discomfort from behind her, "Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. This is so stressful."

There weren't any ships following them. No TI-Fighters. No Inquisitor's ship. Nor even a small mining freighter. They were escaping Ilum so easily that Aris knew without a doubt that the Empire was letting her go.

The Grand Inquisitor was playing with her, and it was working. She could feel her emotions flying all over the place. She knew that he was right about her. About her feelings. And it made her so angry she wanted to scream.

Turning in her seat, she leaned over to grip Axel's pale hand tightly. He grinned at her halfheartedly. He squeezed back, his strength starling her but giving her hope.

"Don't worry about me, Valar," he wheezed, "We've got work to do."

Nodding, she pulled away and pulled the lever for lightspeed. They boomed out of Ilum's atmosphere and were instantly hovering over the familiar planet of Metellos. Piloting them in was far easier than she had expected. Other than Axel's rasps in the back, she smoothly landed them atop the landing pad they had left two days ago.

With all her might, she hauled Axel's weak body from the back of the ship. They both stumbled onto the harsh cement floor, Axel wheezing in discontent. Aris felt herself about to cry against his shoulder in frustration and defeat, she would never be able to bring him all the way over to the Falcon.

Leaning him back, she took in his peaceful expression. She had never been good at healing or meditation or anything of that sort of profession. Yet, she would try for him. She would

Putting her hands on his temples, Aris closed her eyes and willed the Force to come through her.

Please, help me. I need him. He is my guide. I need him. She could feel it wasn't working, his life fading under her palms. Lowering her head to his harshly moving chest, she began to cry in full emotion.

Please, he's my friend.

She felt the Force swell in her hands, it glowed from within her moving into Axel's mind with surprising force. His mind stilled. His emotions were all-consuming and then silent. She could feel his peace, his serenity, and Aris pulled back with a smile. She had at least bought him more time.

It was then she sensed a figure hobbling towards them through the darkness. Stiffly, Aris turned to watch Zimmer creep forward with his hands shaking. He was sobbing awfully, snot and tears clouding his vision as he fell to his knees before her.

The feeling of lightness and peace dropped away from her instantly.

"It was you," she said after a second, feeling cold suddenly. The venom in her voice surprised even her, "They knew we were going to Ilum. But, you told them we were planning on going to the caves."

"Yes," he croaked, lowering his head to the floor at her feet.

"What did they promise you? Was it wealth? Was it power? Glory? What did they promise you to make you betray those you once considered friends?"

And then it hit her. The rebel spies had known Zimmer as well. It was likely that their very capture lied in his slimy old hands. He was a coward, a traitor, a bug. He didn't deserve to live.

"The Jedi are gone…the Rebel Alliance is weak…I do not have the faith I did before..."

"How many rebels have you reported to the Empire?"

"You have to understand…the Jedi were my life, I served you all for decades. And, when they were all wiped out, what more do I have to live for?"

"How many?" Aris repeated again, rising fully to her feet to stand over him. She felt her body shaking with anger and rage. He was looking up at her now, fear in his eyes. His wrinkled face was twisted in horror.

"Too many to count."

She acted without thought. Her hand went flying up, controlling the air around his neck under the Gatekeeper was scratching at his neck in a frantic attempt to breath. He spat and wheezed and groaned under the weight of her attack. And she wanted to kill him, she wanted to kill him more than anything. Not because of any personal vendetta but because he was a weak traitor. A representative of all she hated in a man.

There was a flurry of movement to her left.

Han Solo was standing there looking between her, Axel, and the choking man with avid fascination. He looked as he always did but, in that moment, he was everything she needed to see. His handsome face was speaking to her, walking towards her without fear.

She let the man go.

The Gatekeeper fell to his knees, collapsing on the ground with a hoarse wheeze. He coughed, glaring up at her with watery hateful eyes. He hated her, and he was afraid.

You're no Jedi.

He was not speaking to her yet she heard his mind all the same.

"No, not yet."

She studied the stars to avoid Han's probing eyes that never seemed to cease with their wondering and mistrust. They had left Metellos hours ago, floating listlessly in Outer Rim space. Safer then they would ever be on any planet.

Chewie had taken to caring for Axel. He was surprising good at healing for a Wookie and knew how to use the medical droids better than she and Han could ever attempt to. So, Aris was left with Han Solo who looked very much like he was about to start verballing attacking her at any moment.

"Wanna talk about it?"

"What part would you like to talk about, Han?" Aris snapped, crossing her arms and spinning in her chair to face him, "The part where we got attacked by too psychos in the middle of an icy wasteland? Or the part where I destroyed an elderly man's vocal cords by choking him?"

"Cool off, sweetheart," he snapped, getting into his own defensive mode, "I just thought it'd be good for you to let off some steam to someone who isn't gonna throw some peace and love bullshit down your throat. Listen, the old man deserved it."

"It isn't the Jedi way. It isn't who I want to be."

"You stopped him from snitching on anyone else. You did what was necessary."

"But, I could have...sent him off to another planet to start a new life or something. I didn't have to hurt him."

Han reached over, gripping her hand tightly with his own. The physical contact was startling, and Aris immediately was uncomfortable by it. Yet, he held fast, holding her had all the more and giving her a fierce gaze.

"This isn't a black and white world. Yeah, in an ideal situation, maybe you could have done something different. But, we're alone out here. We don't get ideal situations. Ever. You do what you can with what's given to you, you got that?"

Han Solo was a smart man. Despite his arrogance and his impulsive actions and his lack of morals, he knew how the world worked better than even she did. All her life, she had one planet, one Master, one set of goals.

For a moment, she resented Ben. He had never let her leave Tatooine. All her life, he preached the Jedi way yet she had never gotten a chance to actually experience what making hard decisions would mean. How was she supposed to follow the Jedi way if she didn't know what that meant in real situations? How was she supposed to be a real Jedi if all she had ever known were the books, fake scenarios, and practice drills her Master had her run through a thousand times?

He had refused to leave because he was afraid.

And she would suffer for it.

"You're right," Aris said reluctantly, "I have to do better. They destroyed us on Ilum. Axel is out of practice, and I need to manage my emotions. I need to make a choice."

Darth Vader was displeased, and the Grand Inquisitor was too. Yet, he did not let it show in his face. Instead, he bowed all the lower as the great Sith's image paced before him. His anger was tangible and had Darth Vader been there with him he would no doubt have punished him severely.

"Rha Khan is dead," he reported, though it was no secret that his fellow Inquisitor's death meant very little to him, "The girl killed him."

"The girl. Tell me, Grand Inquisitor…you have studied every Jedi in recent years. Why is it that you cannot understand the origin of her teachings? She could not have just trained herself."

"They are familiar, my lord. I believe the girl herself is what distracts my mind. Her emotions are distracting, overwhelming. When she fights, it is as if she wills her arm to strike left but ends up going right. Her Master's form is there, yes. But, her doubt and fear overshadows her consistency."

She had the makings of a great Jedi. She also had the makings of a great Sith. She was strong in the Force, her signature so obvious it was almost tangible. Yet, she could not embrace the middle ground she found herself on. She willed herself towards the Jedi way while all the more forcing herself down into the darkness.

"Doubt, fear, and a lack of consistency," Vader mused, "I now begin to question the abilities of my own Inquisitors. If she is unstable as you say, why did she so easily best you?"

"I think you misunderstand my meaning, perhaps," The Grand Inquisitor ventured wearily, "She is not weak. No…she is quite powerful despite her flaws. I do not think Khan's earlier assumptions of her origin were correct. No, this Jedi is powerful, and she had a powerful Master. A great Jedi Master."

"A great Jedi Master." Vader repeated slowly and carefully. His mind was whirling even the Grand Inquisitor could see that. Vader's obsession with the eradication of the Jedi was all consuming. Though he did not show it, the Sith Lord's rage was boiling so hot that he could feel it from galaxies away.

"The girl is a small threat now, my lord. But, I believe she will only prove to be a greater threat should she learn to balance herself. And, she has help. An old apprentice of Plo Koon."

"Axel Kentar." Vader said instantly, "Kentar is weak. He always has been. You have failed me, Inquisitor. It seems I have overestimated your abilities to hunt down a mere girl. My apprentice, Starkiller, will also take upon the task. She is not our main priority. But, should she appear again…which she will, you will bring her to me."