Magic is Force: Chapter 14

"So what you're telling me is that these 'Jedi' and 'Sith' have been at war with each other for centuries because they both view the other as flawed?" asked Meetra, sitting on top of her mare. Her brown curls bounced as the mare trotted along the dirt covered road. Solembum laid curled up on the end of the saddle, his claws exposed and dug into the leather to help him stay atop.

"In terms of how they each viewed the Force and what the true meaning of it is – that is why they wage war with each other for countless years," corrected Karn as he walked alongside the mare. It was the second day of their travels since Karn had awoken from his comatose state. The first day along the road, Karn had to spend a great length of time explaining to Meetra the world he had originally come from before arriving in Alagaesia. Meetra had no difficulty comprehending the Republic or the galaxy since she was from there also. Just hearing someone mention it and describing it to her made her miss her home quite awfully.

However, her interest was piqued slightly when Karn began talking about the philosophy of the Force and the codes of the Jedi and Sith Orders. The Code of the Jedi and Sith stood as their reasons for being what they are – Jedi and Sith. And the Codes spoke of the meaning of the Force – what it was and what it was meant to be used for. Time had not made Meetra forget the five stanza mantra; even too this day, she would repeat the Code to herself to help center herself.

There is no emotion, there is peace.

There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.

There is no passion, there is serenity.

There is no chaos, there is harmony.

There is no death, there is the Force.

"You've explained the Jedi and Sith, but how do you play a role with these groups? The Grey Knights to be specific?" she asked, shifting the reigns adjusting the mare's directions.

Karn scratched his chin, rubbing against the stubble that continued to grow along his jawline and around his mouth. However, hair refused to grow around Karn's facial scar, making it even more noticeable. "Well the Force isn't just strictly used by the Jedi and Sith. There are others – but the Jedi and Sith are most prominent because of the institutions on which they built themselves. The Force is felt by everyone in the galaxy at certain degrees; however only a few are able to use it. The Voss are a good example of such."

"The Voss?" Meetra repeated him. She stared at him quite confused. She had never heard of such sentient beings before.

Karn nodded his head, "Yes. The Voss. The Voss are a group of beings who inhabit a planet, known by the same name and are affluent with the Force. Although, they are not affiliated with the Jedi or Sith. Yet both groups find them quite curious."

"Both groups find them interesting?" Meetra repeated his words once again. She was surprised at his choice of words. His words spoke of the present, as if the Jedi were still at war with the Sith. How could that be possible though? She thought to herself. The last of the Sith were defeated after the Sith Triumvirate fell… Or so she thought.

Kreia's voice echoed through her head from a memory of a time long since past. You are wrong, the Sith is a belief…And it's empire, the true Sith Empire waits in the dark. It wasn't until Revan was captured and Meetra made her way to the outer-rim to the planet of Dromund Kaas where her master's old prophecy became true.

A look of realization flashed across Karn's face. "Oh shunfa, I forgot to tell you the history of the Jedi and Sith." He ruffled his hair moving the bangs out of his face. "We'd be spending hours, perhaps even days if I explained the entire history of the Jedi and Sith."

Meetra shook her hand, "Oh you don't have to spend that much time to give me boring details…Why don't you tell me what's going on right now in your world?"

A shadow seemed to cross over Karn's face leaving him looking mournful. His eyes darted back and forth as if seeing things that only his eyes could see. Meetra could feel the strain on Karn's heart as pained emotions circulated inside him. "The galaxy has been put into chaos. A darkness has swept across the stars and has waged war against the Republic. An enemy that we all had thought to be destroyed has emerged from the outer-rim…The Sith has returned."

Meetra's heart sank into dread at hearing his words. The Sith Empire? Has returned? A thought of shock struck her, sending a cold chill down her spine. Revan… Since being brought to Alagaesia, the events that followed in the Emperor's throne room were shadowed in mystery to Meetra. Only her wildest imagination could devise Revan's fate. But only one possible fate made Meetra's heart ache – Revan's death. The sheer thought of such a thing ever happening to her fellow Jedi, commander, and long-term friend seemed too hard to believe.

"So many battles have already been waged which has cost countless of lives. And it has left echoes rippling through the Force… unbalancing it."

"I see," was all she could muster. She stared blankly as the mare continued down the dirt road, Karn keeping up pace. Solembum had finally found a comfortable position that he could stay secure on the saddle and still be able to take a cat-nap. Meetra dwelled on the impossible thought that Revan had died – it was however the only logical explanation why the Sith Empire could emerge out of hiding. If Revan wasn't strong enough to destroy the Emperor, then what could the rest of the Jedi Order do to stop them?

The sound of Karn clearing his throat returned Meetra from her brooding thoughts. "This 'imbalance' has caused the Grey Knights to finally step out from the shadows and try to restore it."

"Ah yes," Meetra said remembering her earlier question. "Enlighten me, where do the Grey Knights align themselves? How do they view the Force?"

"Now that is a simple question that I can answer." Karn walked up alongside Meetra's mare and stuck his hand in one of the side pockets of the saddle bags and pulled out a small pouch. The pouch produced a jingling noise as metallic objects rubbed against each other inside the leather bag. Untying the bag, Karn produced a gold coin and held it up for Meetra to see.

"I've actually just thought of this method to explain the Force – I don't know why I didn't think of it earlier when I was explaining it to Brom and Eragon." Meetra stared at the coin with great curiosity but began to gain some idea what Karn had in mind.

With a flick of his wrist, a small scrap of dirt flew up from the ground and into Karn's hand. He smothered one side of the coin darkening it and the markings that were etched into it. "To the Jedi, there is only the Lightside of the Force." He twirled the coin around in his finger showing the clear, brightened side. "It represents all that is good and the Jedi believe that the Force should be used out of compassion, honesty, mercy, self-sacrifice, and as a tool to defend the innocents of the galaxy."

Meetra nodded in understanding, and in agreement. The Force is meant to protect and defend the Republic and the people. One must be able to control their emotions and not give in to the dark temptations of using the Force for self-gain and striking out vengeance.

Twirling the coin around in his fingers once more, Karn stopped the coin so the darkened face showed. "To the Sith, there is only the Darkside of the Force. The Darkside represents all the dark temptations that sentient life possesses – anger, rage, hatred, fear, aggression, and passion. These raw emotions cause Force-users to resort to only one method of achieving their goals – violence. In addition, the Sith believe in one thing - survival. The only way to survive is to grow stronger and more powerful which causes one to draw on dark emotions linked to the Darkside."

Again, Meetra agreed with Karn's explanation. His descriptions of the Darkside and Lightside were the same definition preached by the Jedi Masters. "But that doesn't answer my question," she retorted. "You've only explained the Light and Darksides, again. So where do the Grey Knights stand? Do they think the Force is meant for good, or for achieving power?"

Holding his palm up, the gold coin rose several inches into the air in front of Karn. Weaving his index finger in a circle, the coin began to spin quite swiftly. Meetra watched as it spun faster and faster in the air, a slight swooshing sound coming from it. The two sides of the coin began to blur together and only a grey-blur was all Meetra could see.

Jedi and Sith…, she thought to herself as she stared at the rotating coin. Peace and Chaos… Light and Dark. Suddenly, the answer came darting into her mind. Her eyes widened at the realization of the Karn's philosophy. Rather that, what the Grey Knights represent.

A smirk appeared on Karn's face, "You figured it out haven't you?"

Reaching out with her hand, Meetra lightly told hold of the floating coin and stared at the two sides. "Light and Dark. Justice and vengeance. Peace and chaos. You, the Grey Knights, use both the Lightside and Darkside of the Force."

"Yes we do, but our philosophy goes much deeper than just using both the Light and the Dark," Karn said just before his stomach began to moan with hunger.

"Why don't we stop and rest for a bit. It's nearly reached mid-day," Meetra stated staring up into the sky. The sun had reach the highest point in its daily cycle, rotating around the world. She was anxious to rest for a bit and enjoy getting something to eat.

Nodding his head, Karn followed Meetra as she directed the mare off the road towards a pile of rocks some distance away. As they approached the rocks, Meetra lightly patted Solembum, waking him up from his cat-nap. We are stopping to rest and eat Solembum. Time to wake up.

Solembum began to stretch out his legs and arched his back. His claws protruded from his paws as he dug them into the saddle. Yawning, his long white fangs glinted in the sunlight.

Honestly, I would have preferred if you hadn't waken me. Now I'm all groggy.

That's because you're always sleeping half the time. Be a little more active. Solembum jumped down from the saddle and proceeded to walk over to one of the large boulders and laid down on it. Hey, I thought I said be a little more active. Not the complete opposite. Solembum twitched his tale against the rough surface, acting as if he hadn't heard her at all. Hey! Meetra yelled out through her thoughts. Solembum continued to ignore her as he began to fall back to sleep.

Meetra gave the werecat an icy glare for ignoring her opinion. Stopping the horse, Meetra was beginning to unlace her feet from the stirrup and about to lower herself from the saddle when a hand came into her view. She was shocked to see Karn standing beside the horse with his hand out stretched to her. "I can get down just fine, thank you."

"I'm just trying to be courteous. That's all." Meetra remained on the saddle contemplating his offer. But her pride was getting the best of her. She was certainly capable of lowering herself from a saddle – she was a Jedi and a general, not some helpless woman. Then again, a part of her did appreciate Karn offering his help to her. Apparently, she must had been pondering some time without providing an answer; Karn gave her a bewildered look and slowly began to pull away.

Reacting on instinct, Meetra quickly reached out and took hold of Karn's hand. He stood there staring up at her, his eyes fixated on her own. Meetra's heart skipped a beat which caught her off guard. As she held his hand, she felt how rough it was from holding on tightly to his lightsabers in countless battles. Yet he grasped her hand gently, letting her put weight on him as she dismounted the saddle. "T-thank you."

"You're welcome," replied Karn. The two continued to hold each other's hand for several moments, neither saying a word. Meetra began to feel herself getting flustered and she could feel Karn's emotions fluctuate – telling her that he was feeling the same way. The silence that lasted between the two made her feel slightly awkward and released her hold on Karn's hand. "I-I should start getting food prepared for us," she said flustered.

"Would you mind if I helped out?"

Meetra shook her hand and head, "No that won't be necessary. Go rest for a little bit, you've been walking for most of the morning."

Nodding his head, Karn went and sat on the ground by the same boulder that Solembum decided to take a cat-nap on. Meetra went about unpacking the saddlebags and pulling out the food they had packed inside for their long journey. Taking a spot next to Karn, Meetra brought out slices of bread, cheese, dried slices of meat, a few apples, and placed the wineskin in between her and Karn for them to share. "Eat up."

Taking an apple in hand, Meetra sat quietly while taking a bite of the sweet fruit. There was a lot of information that she had to process since this morning. The whole idea that a person could use both the Light and Dark sides of the force seemed impossible. To even commit oneself to using the darkside…it just seemed degrading. All that was evil in the world was associated with the darkside. So why would someone dare attempt to use such accursed means?

Karn took two slices of bread, laying the middle with cheese and meat and took a mouthful before speaking, "There's something that the Jedi and Sith fail to notice during their endless hours of meditating over the Force."

A puzzled looked appeared on Meetra's, unsure of what Karn meant. But again, her pride was offended slightly – she was beginning to think that Karn had viewed the Jedi and Sith as simple-minded beings. "And what is that the two groups failed to notice?"

Karn held out a finger over in Meetra's direction, "Do you still have that coin from earlier?"

"Ah yes I do," she said and reached inside her pocket and produced the sovereign from earlier. She reached over and handed it over to Karn; he kept his palm open and once again the gold coin floated into the air.

"What the Jedi and Sith fail to mediate on is 'balance.'"

"Balance?"Meetra repeated his last word.

Karn nodded his head, "That's right. Both Jedi and Sith do not reflect upon the balance."

To a Jedi, balance was to ensure that light always triumphed over darkness; to ensure that peace always reigned over chaos. To express self-sacrifice over self-triumph. To always provide acts of kindness and never spread hate. To achieve balance, one has to let go of their earthly desires and do what is needed for the greater good.

Karn spun the sovereign in the air several times before continuing, "For Jedi and Sith, they believe that there are two sides of the Force – Light and Dark." Meetra watched as the polished and darkened sides of the sovereign rotated in the air. "When in actuality, there aren't two different forces. The Lightside and Darkside do not exist. There is only one force, and that is the Force."

Meetra was utterly shocked to hear Karn spew out such utter nonsense. There was no possible way that there was just the Force. She had seen the Lightside of the Force and its darker side. How could Karn say that the Lightside and Darkside do not exist. "That doesn't make sense though," she commented trying to hide her frustration. "You just said that the Jedi used the Lightside of the Force, and the Sith use the Darkside. How can you say that those two do not exist?"

The spinning sovereign suddenly stopped in mid-air and slowly floated down into Karn's hand where he clasped it tight. "In that lies the flaw to the Jedi and Sith, and the true meaning of balance." Taking a hold and uncorking the wineskin, Karn took several mouthfuls of the sweet-smelling liquid before continuing. "Every sentient being in the galaxy is touched by the Force, more so to others – us Force-users. Force-researchers have spent countless millennia's trying to discover what the Force is and how it works. When the Jedi and Sith came into being, Force-users began to accept that there are in fact two different sides of the Force: light and dark."

"That is not the case however. Rather than assuming the origin of the Force, Force researchers should have paid more attention to the effects of being Force-sensitive. When touched by the Force, users see dramatic changes to their being; every single thing is amplified. The Force amplifies a being's physical strength, movement speed, ability to heal quickly, resistance to poisons and increased awareness. Jedi, Sith, and every other Force-user in the galaxy experiences these changes – but what makes the two groups different?"

Meetra was having difficulty wrapping her mind around Karn's explanations and questions. Where is he taking this ridiculous nonsense? She thought to herself. "Is because of their beliefs of the Force?" she replied, a hint of irritation mixed in with her reply.

Karn shook his head. "The answer is right in front of you. I apologize if my explanation of such a complex subject irritates you, Angela; being the fact that you've never been exposed to such a power and how it works. But I need you to understand how it works if you are planning to help me control it."

Placing her head in the palm of her hand, Meetra thought back to Karn's clarification. The answer is right in front of me? What makes a Jedi and Sith different? It's simple! One is out for power and one is out for peace. We've discussed this already! Her mood was beginning to worsen as she struggled to comprehend Karn's meaning and deducing an answer. It was especially hard for her to just give up on the fact that there are two sides of the Force. She was brought up within the Jedi Order and taught that the Force had two sides. And that there has always been two sides of the Force.

But what if Karn says is true? Solembum's voice suddenly rippled through Meetra's mind, surprising her. She peered around Karn to see the werecat still laying on the rock, eyes closed as if sound asleep. Have you been awake this whole time? She asked.

Since Karn continued his explanation. It's been quite interesting listening.

Meetra glared at the 'sleeping' werecat, This doesn't make sense. What makes a Jedi and Sith different? I know the answer and that's because one uses the Lightside and the other possesses the Darkside.

Solembum's ears flicked slightly as a fly passed by. But Karn said there is no Lightside and Darkside. That there is only one Force.

But that doesn't make sense! Meetra yelled out through her mental connection. She was frustrated at the fact that someone was disputing all the years that the Jedi had spent meditating on the Force, trying to understand it. And disputing her faith in the Order, their teachings.

Meetra was left fuming over the audacity of Karn's explanation for some time trying to come up with an answer but all her thoughts returned to the teachings of the Order. The prospect of the Lightside and Darkside of the Force being nonexistent just seemed too hard to believe. As Meetra was left in thought, Karn continued to fill his stomach before they had to set off again for the journey to the Varden.

Barely a quarter of an hour passed before Meetra felt a sense of realization come from Solembum. I know the answer that Karn is waiting for.

Shocked, Meetra quickly was left without words aside from one question. What is it then?!

Finally, Solembum began to move around on the rock, stretching out his muscles and his back. Brandishing his long claws and clawing them against the hard surface of the stone. When he was done, he quickly jumped off the rock and came to sit down on Meetra's lap, his big red eyes staring at her amber eyes. It's what is in their heart and mind.

W-what? She said confused.

Take away the belief that there are two sides of the Force and all that is left is the Force. If there is no external power causing the Jedi and Sith to behave the way they do, then what causes one to act out in compassion and one to act out in vengeance? It is the thoughts and feelings that are harbored within a person's heart and mind.

Meetra was left dumbstruck at Solembum's reasoning. But that doesn't make sense. How could that possible play a role with- Meetra suddenly stopped herself in her train of thought. Karn's description of the Force was striking a cord within her mind, When touched by the Force, users see dramatic changes to their being; every single thing is amplified. As if finding the missing piece of a puzzle, the image finally became clear to her.

Surprised at finding the answer, Meetra found herself trembling slightly at the sudden revelation of the Force. "It all makes sense now," she said in a hushed toned voice. Karn looked up at her and gave Meetra a questioning look. She stared back at him, now seeing for the first time who Karn really was. "I know the answer."

Karn stared at her intently, "Go on."

It took Meetra several minutes to gather and organize her thoughts, making sure she understood every single aspect of the new found knowledge. "Every single thing is amplified, when touched by the Force. That includes a person's physical qualities…but also what a person feels. Emotions and thoughts increase as well, aren't they?"

Slowly, a wide smile grew across Karn's face. "You've picked that up quite quickly and proficiently. Most apprentices spend a great length of time trying to understand what you just learned. Yes you are correct. The Force amplifies the feelings and thoughts that all sentient beings possess."

"If that's the case," Meetra said continuing on. "Then those individuals who possess ill thoughts and harbor malice within their hearts express the Darkside…or the Force but in a darker representation of it." Her voice quickly increased with excitement and volume. "And those who seek out peace and tranquility will express the Force in a certain light…"

If the grin on Karn's face could grow any larger, it'd might not return to its original shape. "You have achieved a level of understanding that only few within the Grey Knights can achieve after being introduced to the Force. But let us go back to our early discussion: what are the Grey Knights?"

Meetra began formulating her thoughts based upon the newfound knowledge presented to her. If there are no sides of the Force, and that there is only the Force. Then that means… Meetra stared directly into Karn's sapphire eyes, holding his gaze as she delivered her response. "There is only the Force. The Force is balance. And the Grey Knights are the ones that uphold the balance."

Reaching forward, Karn took ahold of Meetra's hand and placed the sovereign on it. ""The Light Side of the Force is the physical manifestation of a person's ability to show honesty, compassion, mercy, and self-sacrifice. The Dark Side of the Force is the physical embodiment of a person's raw emotions like anger, rage, hatred, fear, aggression, and passion. The Force amplifies these emotions and the end result is either a Jedi or a Sith. The Jedi spend years mediating trying to quell their emotions, maintaining a calm and serene disposition on life. If they begin to slip and their raw emotions take control they fall to the Dark Side, because the Force amplifies the emotions that are most dominant."

"In the galaxy, there is always light. And where there is light, there is always darkness. Peace and chaos, compassion and hatred. This is the natural order of the world, of the entire galaxy. It is perfectly natural for one to possess good intentions but act out in hate. It is perfectly natural to kill someone if it is meant for the greater good. That is what the Grey Knights represents, the natural order of the world; of the Force. We are the keepers of the balance, light and dark. When one side, either light or dark tips the scale, the Grey Knights are the ones that return the galaxy to normalcy. This is the responsibility and curse that I must uphold as a member of the Order of the Grey Knights."

"So how do I play a role in this?" Meetra asked. She was stunned to hear the words spoken from Karn's mouth but a part of his teaching made sense to her. Part of her could understand where he was speaking from but another part of her wanted to rebuke it.

"To be a Grey Knight is to walk the line between the light and the dark. I must be able to uphold the balance, of the Force inside me, without succumbing to either side. If I should, I lose my place within the Order…and recently, my alignment with the Force has been plunging towards the Darkside. My dark thoughts have been plaguing me and I have no way to control them. I need help, I need guidance to show me how to quell my hatred, my anger, and be able to maintain a calm disposition. That is where you come in Angela."

Meetra crossed her arms, "So you are requesting that I develop some form of training regime to help assist you?"

"That's right," Karn said while nodding his head. "I ask you to help me…No, I'm begging you to help." He leaned forward dipping his head, bowing to her.

Staring down at the boy, Meetra could only wonder where she could even start with Karn's training. A part of her began to wonder whether if she even should teach Karn how to control his emotions. The very thought that the Darkside and Lightside of the Force never existed seemed preposterous; and that the darkness and light are just the Force's way of showing the hearts and minds of all life. However, a part of her wondered if all that Karn said was true. I don't believe Karn would have any reason to lie to me about such a thing…Perhaps he does believe in such a philosophy.

Running a hand through her curly locks of hair, Meetra decided, against some degree of uncertainty, to grant Karn's request. "Very well. I will try within the best of my abilities to help you control your emotions. I don't know how much help I can be though."

Karn returned upright with a grateful look on his face, "Thank you Angela. Any help now will be more than I can ever ask for." He smiled at her and Meetra returned a slight smirk in return. After finishing their lunch, the two packed up the traveling backs, placing them back onto the mare's saddle, and made way South towards Surda, then to the Beor Mountains where they hope to find the Varden.