Magic is Force: Chapter 17
As the evening light began to be consumed by the night sky, clouds filled the sky obscuring a crescent moon. In a secluded camp, not far from the eastern shore of Lake Tüdosten, Meetra and Karn were squaring off against each other in their makeshift dueling ring – grappling against each other. Over a month has passed since Meetra rescued Karn from Gil'ead and begun his training.
Ever since Meetra took up her role as Karn's teacher, she took it upon herself to ensure that he would be able to maintain full control over his emotions. To control one's emotions required an extensive and difficult process of constant meditation – a feat that all Jedi Padawans must undergo. For many years, a padawan would spend honing their skills, mind, and spirit in order to control their emotions. By the time a padawan showed adequate control, they were already entering into their second decade of their life. For Karn though, this was not the case.
With every training assignment Meetra had Karn commit, she was surprised by his results. The speed at which he learned the concepts and able to control his emotions astonished her. Never before had she met a padawan that could so easily quell their emotions. With each training session though, Meetra could see the growth in Karn. His stance, which appeared to always be flexed and ready to fight, now grew composed. Through their bond, Meetra could sense his certainty, and attentiveness. His ability to let go of his feelings was evident in their sparring.
As the two sparred with each other over the past few weeks, Meetra's goal was to draw out Karn's emotions – making him feel aggravated and irritated. And as they sparred it was Karn's responsibility to quell his emotions and focus on the fight. In order to bring out his emotions, Meetra would at use any little trick, legitimate or dirty, that would end up with her winning the match. After the first week, it was Meetra that ended up winning most of the fights – Karn being unable to focus allowing her win.
However, with each match that they performed, his aptitude of control developed. Over the course of the following weeks, the matches between teacher and student began to change. Slowly, Meetra began to notice that her tricks to thwart of Karn's focus no longer began to work. Her attempts to make Karn lose control over his emotions began to fail. It wasn't until this very moment that Meetra truly saw Karn's growth.
Dressed in her typical green leggings and loose tan tunic, Meetra stood in a low guard position, with her hands open ready to deflect a strike. She gazed at the young man standing before at the opposite end of the sparring circle, studying him. He was standing at full height, his arms laying down at his sides. His eyes were wide open, staring at her intently. For several moments, neither combatant made a move. A soft breeze traveled through the camp winding its way through Meetra's loose clothing, chilling her skin. Off to the side of the circle, a small bonfire illuminated the campsite, sending shadows off into the distance. The sound of crackling wood filled the night as the Jedi and Grey Knight stared each other down. The sudden noise of a piece of wood snapping, in the fire, erupted the quiet night and suddenly Karn made the first move.
Charging across the circle, the young Grey Knight brought his hand forward intending to grab hold of Meetra's arm. As he came into reach, Meetra quickly took her open hand and batted it away, closing the distance. Clenching her fist, she attempted to punch the left side of Karn's abdomen where he was exposed after she countered his first blow. Mimicking her, Karn took his free hand and pushed the fist away just in time.
Following up her attack, Meetra also took her free arm and threw a punch to his right side instead. With great swiftness, Karn deflected the strike by drawing his left arm in and covering his side, softening the blow. In a sudden display of speed, the two combatants quickly exchanged blows and counter-strikes, each intending to overpower the other out of sheer haste. Meetra's fists appeared as a blur as she threw them forward only to have them be blocked or parried by Karn. To which he would return a series of blows that were as quick as her own. To two stood in the same spot upon which they engaged each other, neither having taken a single step to dodge a strike.
Recoiling her arm from a counter strike, Meetra brought her arm back and swung high, aiming to collide her fist to the side of Karn's head. It was time for her to pull out her bag of tricks; tapping into the Force, Meetra imbued her muscles making her arm fly faster through the air. She was certain her attack would throw Karn off guard or cause him to be knocked out, causing him to act on his feelings.
Instead, the unprecedented occurred and Meetra's arm went sailing right through the air. Karn had suddenly dip his head under and around her jab, escaping from harm. What happened next took Meetra by surprise – her entire world was flipped around as she felt her body suddenly fell backwards onto the ground. The air in her lungs were forced out upon impact, small white dots filled her vision when her head collided with the dirt, and a pressure was placed on top of her chest. It took her several seconds to process the situation. Only when her vision had cleared and she had gasped for air did she truly understand what had transpired.
Gazing up she was staring into two bright iridescent sapphire eyes that held her in place. Karn had a knee placed on her chest and his fist was brought back ready to strike, but held it in place. "Y-you..how did you-?" Meetra asked through intakes of breath.
"That last strike of yours threw your foot out of balance," Karn pointed out to her. "I took the opportunity to sweep your leg out from underneath you where you were off-centered. Then I proceeded to throw you to the ground."
Amazed, Meetra held his gaze but with a new sense of awe. She was surprised that he was able to detect her lack of stability while they were trading such intense blows. Only a person with a cleared and focused mind could pinpoint an opponent's weakness in such a short span of time. The realization suddenly occurred to her. He's excelled in controlling his emotions…And with such little time and difficulty…
Meetra was utterly surprised. Karn had achieved a level of discipline that only she had seen demonstrated after years of training. This boy is something else entirely. She thought to herself with wonder.
"Do you surrender this match to me?" Karn asked. His knee was still placed on top of her chest, holding her in place while his arm was stretched back, ready to strike again if need too.
Aware of the Grey Knight's accomplishment, Meetra felt no qualm of rewarding him. Taking a hand, she lightly brought it up and patted Karn's thigh, signaling him that she was submitting defeat. He released his knee, allowing her to sit up and Karn sat down next to her. "I believe that's the first time I've won a match straight off." He exclaimed as a slight smirk appeared on his face.
Meetra nodded, "Indeed. You did an excellent job, Karn. You left me quite surprised. Tell me, did you feel different at all during the fight?" she asked curiously. She wanted him to explain how he felt about his actions and his emotions during the match.
"I did, to be honest." Karn stated. "I felt…," he paused for a moment gathering his thoughts before continuing but a blank expression replaced his smirk and his eyes seemed to glaze over.
"Yes? What did you feel, Karn?" Meetra repeated. She stared at the young man as he blankly stared out into the distance but he appeared to be not staring at anything in particular.
It was several seconds later before Karn replied, "I felt…nothing." He shrugged his shoulders at the thought. "I was fully engrossed on the fight. I felt nothing – no anxiety, not anger or fear. I felt nothing."
A strong feeling of accomplishment rushed throughout Meetra's being after hearing those words. Her teachings provided Karn with a means to control his emotions, allowing him to control the Darkside. Her worries over the past month were finally being dispelled; no longer would she have to worry about Karn falling to corruption. "Those are good words to hear," she said proudly.
"What does this mean for me then?" Karn questioned.
"What this means," Meetra said as she placed a hand on Karn's shoulder, "is that you've reached my expectations far sooner than I ever could hope for. You're training has been short but you have produced much results. For now, there is not much else for me to teach you."
"Are you meaning to say that I've completed my training?" he asked with great surprise. Karn's eyes were wide-eyed and his voice grew with excitement.
"For now," was all she said but she smiled and patted Karn on the back. Stretching out her legs, Meetra walked herself off the ground to full height and dusted off her leggings and tunic of any dirt that clung onto her. "Let us call it a night. Tomorrow we make the last stretch of our journey. If we move swiftly, we'll reach the border of Surda by late afternoon tomorrow. From there it's just a straight shot to the Varden."
With ease and renewed excitement, Karn quickly got to his feet. "Do you think we'll see Eragon at the Varden?"
"One can only hope," Meetra said as she moved over to her traveling bags and pulled out a long green skirt and an equally dark emerald green blouse. She retreated behind her picketed mare that was stationed at the edge of the camp, giving her some privacy to change. Dawning her long green skirt and green blouse, Meetra couldn't help be produce a gleaming smile; she was proud that her teachings proved to be a valuable asset to the young force-user. No longer would she have the constant worry that Karn would turn to the Darkside, the methods she used were techniques that she spent years developing. Years as a Jedi learning how to control her own feelings; years as a general learning how to show no emotions on the battlefield; years as an exile learning how to let go of past resentments. And now, she saw the fruit of her labor mirrored in Karn, she couldn't help but smile.
Emerging from behind the picketed mare, Meetra glanced over the campsite and saw Karn laying on his bedroll, eyes shut and taking large intakes of air. He hadn't changed into his normal traveling clothes and remained in his sparring ones – bare chested and only a pair of trousers. Is he still practicing his breathing? Meetra thought to herself.
She walked over on light feet over to Karn's side and knelt down, observing him. He made no indication of her approach by opening his eyes or making a remark. He continued to lay quietly upon his bed mat. "Karn?" Meetra spoke out. He didn't reply.
He must already be asleep. It occurred to her. For the past month, Karn had worked diligently during his training. Practically every day of their travel, he had spent most of his time focused on training. It wouldn't be a surprise if Karn felt exhausted after all his efforts. Then the prospect of Karn's prior travels and fights with Eragon and Brom struck a chord. He's been through so much…
As she gazed down at the bare chested man, the glow of the bonfire showed much of his features. His long angled jaw line which defined his face; the conditioned muscles that traced the length of his arms and chest; and the pale lines of new skin that scarred over old wounds.
Meetra examined the series of scars that traced Karn's chest – she had glimpsed at the scars on multiple occurs but never had the chance to examine them closely. One stretched from the bridge of Karn's nose down to the top of his mouth, a second ran down the entire length of his left pectoral down to his hip. The scars she was unsure about, she had never asked Karn how he had received them. But the last two scars that marked his body, she knew. On Karn's left shoulder was a scar that was two inches long and an inch wide, the result of him being impaled by Durza's sword. And the last scar ran across his chest, intersecting the previous one. Meetra could only guess that the other scar was a mark left by Durza also.
A sense of pity welled up inside Meetra as she continued to stare at the scars that plagued Karn's body. Scars were marks of struggle and strife that occurred within an individual's life, and Meetra could see the struggles that transpired for the young man. Reaching out, she placed her hand on Karn's chest and traced the scars with her index finger. What happened to you Karn?
As Meetra continued to trace the new patches of skin across Karn's chest, an odd sensation suddenly pulled at her mind. Alarmed, she quickly threw up barriers in preparation of an unknown mental assault on her mind but the pressure bypassed it. It pulled on her conscious and drew her mind across hers towards Karn's.
Meetra's vision of her surroundings grow dark and disappear as her conscious melded with Karn's. The thoughts and memories of his mind meshed with her own and Meetra was flown deeper into his subconscious. The pressure that pulled her away from her mind led her though the shifting thoughts and memories of Karn's life.
In an instant, Meetra's vision was filled with the sight of a battle-torn banquet hall – tables, chairs, plates, swords and shields littered the floor. A mighty sapphire colored dragon stood in the middle of the room with three people on its back – two male humans and an elf maiden. Meetra instantly recognized the brown haired boy that was Eragon, however she did not recognize the other dark haired man next to him but she could only assume that this was Murtagh, which Karn spoke of. She found it impossible to see the face of the elf maiden for her long ebony hair hid her face out of sight. And not but several feet away from the dragon stood two individuals, locked in a duel.
Karn had a grip on Durza's wrist, stopping his sword. "FLY YOU FOOLS!" Karn screamed. The dragon held her position with great reluctance. "Saphira, you and Eragon have to reach the Varden. You have to keep Eragon safe! Remember what Brom told us…GO!"
Several seconds passed and the dragon unfurled her wings and leapt out of the banquet hall and onto the fortress's roof. "Saphira, what are you doing?!" cried Eragon. "We aren't leaving!" With great strokes of her wings, the dragon was airborne. In the distance, Meetra could hear the distant voice of Eragon screaming, "KARN!" Saphira climbed into air and out a whole in the ceiling and made towards the east soaring into the night.
Meetra gazed at the two combatants and the two suddenly broke apart and with a quick swing of his sword, Durza dealt a strike across Karn's chest. A pained yell escaped his lips and he recoiled away. His robes suddenly burst into fire and dancing flames danced across his tunic. Quickly ripping the robes off, blood trickled down Karn's chest and coated his lower legwraps.
Across the distance, Meetra could suddenly feel Karn's emotions…fear… loneliness. His body was shaking, not out of exertion but out of fear. She could sense his thoughts: "I'm afraid. He's stronger than any person I've ever faced. I don't want to face him, alone… I don't want to die here, alone."
The image suddenly rippled in front of her eyes, like that of ripple across the surface of water and was replaced with another scene. The scene was still in the same banquet hall but Meetra's attention was drawn to the center of the room where her heart sank inside her chest. Standing above his defeated opponent, Durza pushed his sword deeper into Karn's shoulder – falling onto his knees out of pain. The Grey Knight was bloodied and beaten and Meetra could feel the same pain he felt. A stringing sensation seeped into her right shoulder and grew in strength. She placed a hand on it and pressed against it to numb the pain, but a thought seeped into her mind, "I can't defeat him… He's too strong… I couldn't do it, everything I've ever done has been a failure… I hate it."
The physical and emotion pain that was Karn's transmitted into Meetra and she could not stand to see it continue any longer. Running across the broken banquet hall, Meetra was preparing herself for battle when the image suddenly rippled again. The pressure that brought her here led her to another memory.
No longer was Meetra standing in a wrecked banquet hall, but stood in a large, stone circular arena. The night sky filled across the sky and torches and light towers illuminated the field. Gazing around the arena, Meetra noticed that the arena had observation stands that encroached the field. And not too far from where she stood in the stands, a large group of people stood or sat, witnessing a duel in the center of the arena.
The sound of clashing lightsabers caught Meetra's ears and it drew her focus to the field where two fighters stood apart from each other. Standing proud with a silver colored lightsaber in hand was an elderly, bearded man clad in grey armor - a series of buttons laced the center of his chest meant to control and regulate the armor. Over ten feet away stood the second participant, however his figure was not as proud and dignified as the first. The robes he wore were tattered and torn, a section of his leggwraps were gone and part of his upper-section was gone revealing his bare chest. His body was shaking out of exertion, his legs barely able to keep him standing. Clutching in his hands was a battle-worn yellow-bladed lightsaber, the blade pulsated irregularly – most likely from being damaged. Blood ran down from a cut across the combatant's nose and it ran down his face and dripped onto the dirt ground.
As Meetra gazed at the Force-user, she noticed features that another person she knew shared. Their long angled jaw line, short dark-brown hair, and bright sapphire eyes. Her eyes grew wide and a gasp escaped Meetra's lips as she stared down at a younger version of Karn.
"Through passion, I gain strength!" Karn's opponent cried out. He charged across the field, his lightsaber a blur as he swung it towards him. Bringing his lightsaber up, the young Grey Knight managed to block the oncoming blade but the force behind the attack caused him to stagger.
"Through strength, I gain power!" Stretching out his arm, the elderly fighter generated a ball of energy and threw it at Karn which launched him into the air, backwards. He flew the entire length of the field before he came crashing against the stone wall that circled the field.
"Karn!" Meetra cried out in concern. She gazed out at the young boy as he struggle to get back onto his feet. She turned to the onlookers in the stand and they paid no attention to her. Meetra had to remind herself that this was a memory she was witnessing and not reality. The onlookers would not notice her, and Karn was not actually being harmed.
Giving him no time to recover, the elder fighter reached out his arm and pulled it back towards him. Across the field, Karn rose into the air and was flung back towards his opponent. As the two met, the fighter jumped into the air and kicked Karn in the stomach which again send him recoiling backwards and skidding across the ground – his lightsaber flying out of his hand.
Screaming in pain, Karn was left lying on the ground, his body curling in on itself and his arms wrapped around his abdomen trying to comfort it. The force bond between him and Meetra allowed her to feel all the pain that he received. It was difficult for her stand by and watch this happen – to see Karn hurt.
Slowly the fighter walked across the field, letting his lightsaber being dragged across the ground, scorching the earth. As he stood before the younger version of Karn, the man looked at him with disgust. "Get up." He said angrily.
Meetra could feel the fear swirling inside Karn. The young boy shook his head towards the man. He didn't wish to continue the duel, he wanted it to stop – for him to no longer receive abuse from his instructor. He wanted his training to stop. All he wanted was for the one thing that was taken away from his life…The thought sent shivers down Meetra's spine as she sensed Karn's thoughts. Tears began to fall down her cheeks. She couldn't bear to watch the memory unfold before her. She wanted it to disappear, to never see how much more hardship the young Grey Knight was put through. But the memory continued.
"Get up!" the man said, this time he said with great force. He outstretched his hand raised it, Karn's body mimicked it. He was lifted up and placed standing. His legs still shook uncontrollably. He gazed at his instructor in fear of him and what he would do next.
"Through power…I gain victory." The man said ominously. Surprising Karn and Meetra, the instructor slashed his lightsaber down vertically across Karn's torso and down his side. A cry of agony engulfed the entire arena as Karn fell to the ground once again. Pain enveloped Meetra's senses as if she too was slashed at across her torso and side. She gasped in shock as her arms wrapped around herself, reacting to the sudden agony. Karn's screaming continued to be the only source of noise in the entire arena.
"One cannot understand the Force unless they experience pain and agony!" The instructor said to Karn as he turned his body so his voice could be heard to the onlookers in the stands. "If you do not learn how to harness your passions and turn it into strength, you will become weak." He tuned his lightsaber and pointed it to Karn in emphasis. "Weakness will prevent you from reaching your full potential. Restricting what you can do with the Force. Understand from this apprentice's folly."
From across the stands, the group of onlookers all nodded in agreement and then began to take their leave. The elder instructor deactivated his lightsaber and hooked it to his belt. He gazed down at Karn who was still writhing in agony, "You're weak, boy. You do not possess the potential to become one of our members of the Order." He turned away and headed for an opening in the side of the arena that appeared to be an exit.
Meetra couldn't stand still any longer, she wouldn't let Karn lay out on the ground in agony with no one to help me. Overcoming the pain that she was experiencing from the bond, Meetra was preparing to jump over the side of the stands before a voice echoed across the field.
"I'm not weak!"
The instructor who had nearly reached the exit turned around to find Karn struggling to get back up. Meetra was shocked as well and stood still.
"You are weak boy," the instructor shouted back. He was beginning to turn about when Karn screamed at the top of his lungs. "I'M NOT WEAK!"
Meetra stared at the young Force-user as he finally came to his full height. His body shook and his arm covered his wound but he stood firm. His face displayed an angered but determined look.
In a blink of an eye, the instructor had traversed the field and appeared directly in front of Karn, a billow of dirt following him. The tall Grey Knight gazed down at the young boy and unbelted his lightsaber, igniting it. The silver blade hummed as the instructor brought up high above his head.
Meetra didn't want to believe that this man would surely strike Karn down for a second time. However, her thought was proven wrong when the instructor brought his lightsaber down on Karn. As the lightsaber came crashing down, Karn managed to throw himself out of the way. Reaching his hand out, a glint of metal flew through the air and fell into his hand. Igniting his lightsaber, Karn rushed towards his instructor with what energy he could muster. Their blades both locked, a high pitch hum and crackling of energy resounding.
The instructor threw Karn off but he did not stagger. Using the momentum, Karn dashed to the side flanking the elder Grey Knight. The blades of energy made contact several times as the two squared off with each other.
Slowly, the pain began to diminish from Meetra's body and was instead replaced with new found energy. Feelings of determination and anger filled her mind which strengthened her. Feelings that were resonating from Karn. Meetra could sense it; he was converting his emotions into strength, and slowly she could see the duel turn slightly. The instructor was having a more difficult time throwing Karn off balance. He was meeting his better's strikes blow by blow.
As the blades locked together, the instructor grabbed hold of Karn with his free arm and threw him to the grown. As he attempted to regain his foothold, the instructor brought his lightsaber down, holding it several inches from Karn's chest. He stared at his instructor with the same determined face, meeting his gaze. The instructor held his lightsaber above Karn for several seconds before he recovered and deactivated it.
"…Perhaps you aren't weak after all."
As she gazed over the arena, watching Karn fight against all odds, Meetra finally understood the depth of Karn's struggle. Since his brother's departure to the Jedi Academy, Karn had always been alone. When his mother was taken, loneliness nearly consumed him. When that happened, he set out to find a way to restore his family in order to no longer be alone. In order to do so, he needed to achieve power. And the Grey Knights were the means to achieve it.
Even amongst the Grey Knights, they treated him as an outcast, a weakling unfit to become part of their order. Again, Karn was met with loneliness. As such, he struggled to show that he was not weak, to gain their approval that he was meant to be a part of the Grey Knights.
Upon entering Alagaesia, Karn was met with loneliness once again. It wasn't until he met Eragon, Brom and Saphira that his worry of being alone began to subside. Ever since arriving in this world, Karn began to slowly become adjusted opening up to people, letting them know about his past. His first steps for overcoming lonesomeness. And as time passed, Karn refused to let anyone feel the same loneliness as he had. It brought him joy to see families become reunited, friends returned, and companions brought back together. That was why he went to great lengths to free Eragon from his captivity from Durza. It was for that reason they took the elf maiden along with them during the escape. And it was for that reason that Karn stayed behind to face Durza alone, to allow his friends to be free and not be separated from the others.
Karn doesn't want to feel alone and he doesn't want others to feel the same. It is for that reason that he puts himself into such situations that cost him great pain or sacrifice. I finally think I understand him now. Truly understand him. Meetra thought to herself. The scene before her rippled again and this time, Meetra felt herself being pushed away from the thoughts and memories and back towards her own mind.
When she had returned, she found herself lying beside Karn. Forcing herself up, she was unsure of how long she had been out. Her thoughts however were still revolving around what had just transpired and the memories that she had just seen of Karn.
This experience brought her a new found insight into the companion she traveled with. And for that, it made her appreciate him more. For not only did she learn more about this person that she initially cared for, but it revealed to her the connection that the two shared.
"We both do not wish to be alone," Meetra whispered, with a smirk. The force bond deepened the connection that she held towards the Grey Knight, even if he didn't notice it. She looked down at the older version of Karn who still laid sleeping on his bedroll, and placed a hand on his cheek, cupping it gently.
"I promise, you'll learn the truth soon," she whispered again. She paused waiting to see if Karn would wake before continuing. "You've been honest with me about your life, your struggles. I will be sure to do so in kind."
She brushed the side of his cheek with her thumb for a moment before pulling away and retreating to her own bedroll. As she sat herself down onto her mat, the sound of bushes rustling at the edge of the camp startled Meetra and she had nearly gotten herself up in case of an intruder when the outline of Solembum, in his werecat form, emerged from the edge of the campsite.
The werecat had quietly traversed the length of the campsite before coming up alongside Meetra's lap, brushing it. His back arched as he passed her by and continued his way over to her sleeping mat where he proceeded to curl up on himself. She followed suit, rising from her knelt position by Karn.
She stretched out her mind towards the werecat's, brushing past his mental barriers, once he had lifted them. Had an eventful night have we? The werecat asked.
Meetra sat down next to the balled-up werecat and sprawled over the sleeping mat, exhausting spreading across her body. More so than I expected. She placed a hand on the top of Solembum's head and brushed it along the length of his body, petting him. Karn has learned quickly over the past month. He's reached my expectations, surprisingly.
In the back of Solembum's throat, the werecat began to purr as Meetra's hand brushed him several times. That's good news to hear. I've noticed recently that his attitude and poise have changed slightly. He's become more relaxed and focused.
That's the proof of Karn's training. Meetra added. She closed her eyes, letting her body relax in preparation for falling asleep. The two remained silent for some time, the sound of the crackling wood filling the night. Meetra was nearly half asleep before she felt the Solembum's mind prod her awake.
Yes? She said, slightly disgruntled. Meetra was exhausted and had wished to fall asleep. The next day would be a long one if they had hoped to reach Surda before the day's end.
When are you going to tell the boy? Solembum questioned her. You can't hide the truth from him forever. Sooner or later, Karn will begin to notice – your powers, this 'force bond.' If you don't tell him soon, the boy may resent you for it.
Meetra was unsurprised by the werecat's sudden query. The subject made her apprehensive but she knew that the time was coming close that she would have to reveal the truth to Karn. Like she had mentioned earlier, the Grey Knight was willing to reveal his life and struggle to her. It was only natural that Meetra do the same.
Soon. That was her only reply. But she conveyed it with all the sincerity she could muster, hoping Solembum could believe her.
For a moment, the werecat continued to prod her mind before he gave up. Very well. I hope that the boy accepts your answer without any grudge or judgment.
The werecat withdrew his touch from Meetra's conscious, leaving her to herself. He made no further attempt to talk to her the rest of the night, and soon fell fast asleep. His body rose and fell with deep intakes of breath. Meetra continued to stroke the werecat's fur for several minutes, reflecting on his last words. As do I, she thought to herself. As do I.