I apologize for the long delay, things happened and my motivation went down the sink. Anyway, this should be the last chapter on Alderaan and we finally leave into Arc 2. However, with all the changes that took place, many things might change in the storyline, so please stay patient with me. I hope you all enjoy it, and until next time. ~DeliriousMoose

Chapter 25: Changed perception

Most of the participants of the discussion had already returned, Marr rejoining his fleet while the SIS returned to their base on Coruscant. Though, surprisingly, it was the Grandmaster of the Jedi Order, Satele Shan, who remained behind. After all, yesterday later Amrein had still given her a small letter, asking her to remain another day for a favor. Though, what that favor was, wasn't written down.

For now, the latter had taken to resting within her given guest-suit. For once, she was actually surprised to find that no listening devices were inside the room that she could sense, meaning she was indeed given 'messenger' status, with all that it entailed. On the other hand, the room, while luxurious, was kept in a simple and comfortable manner than even the Grandmaster of the Jedi-Order could appreciate. There was even an old metal sword hanging on the wall, apparently found rusting within one of the old weapon-caches of the house, now cleaned and put on display for guests to enjoy. Even the bathroom had something named 'Jacuzzi' installed, and feeling daring she tried it out... it was very enjoyable.

At some point, she finally laid to rest, finding herself relaxed as she fell into a deep comfortable sleep with ease. It was to the point that she even forgot to set up her force-shielding to prevent surprise attacks.

It was only the next morning when she woke up, relaxed and well-rested that she noticed. And yet, nothing happened, she was still where she went to sleep, the early morning sun shining through the window as she lie there. Getting up, she soon went and freshened up in the guest bathroom attached to her room, washing her face and preparing for another day.

Strangely enough, when she gazed at herself in the mirror, she found the usual dark bags under her eyes missing, her muscles more relaxed and her features calmer than they were when she first arrived here two days ago.

She was pleasantly surprised, as she wore her usual clothes and her robe over it to be comfortable. Was it just her or did her countenance indeed become... younger? So, in the early morning light, she slowly walked through the estate of House Kyrath, observing the countless pieces of history put on display throughout the house for guests to enjoy.

Surprisingly, it was while she was observing some old records telling of the Alderaanian line of nobles descending from the founder of House Kyrath that she was approached by a young man in servant's dress. "Miss Shan? Breakfast is ready to be served. If you would follow me please." He requested, and she followed after him silently.

Though, she found it weird that the servant getting her was such a young man. "You seem fairly young to be serving here. Why is that?" She asked, and the young servant actually smiled. "It's because we were hired, obviously." He answered, before his smile faltered a little, becoming wry. "I am part of a group of war orphans. The orphanages that still run on Alderaan are all overloaded, so the head of the House decided to organize and invest resources to build an orphanage in House Kyrath for children like us. Though, the other older ones and I are permitted to join apprenticeships within different positions we have an interest in to gain work experience. In exchange, we get additional resources for things we privately want. It's a win-win situation for us really." He explained, his smile growing wider with every word.

"Does that mean many around your age work here as servants?" Satele asked, realizing that the idea wasn't that bad if one wants to grow future talent loyal to oneself. "Not really, there are five of us working directly in the estate, but only two of us work as servants." He clarified. "For example, the oldest among us has a talent for mechanics and technics, so he is currently working with and learning under the technicians belonging to House Kyrath, helping maintain the droids and devices all around." He explained with pride. "Even our tuition is paid for."

Satele was curious, seeing as they were approaching the dining room, and asked another question. "Then, what about the last two? What do they learn?" She asked, simple curiosity.

"Oh, the two of them really want to join the republic army, since they were saved by republic soldiers during the Imperial invasion some years ago, so the guards have taken them under their wings, teaching them the basics." He explained, and Satele almost frowned. She didn't like the thought of teaching child soldiers, even if she as the Grandmaster of the Jedi-Order had absolutely no right to speak on that topic for the Jedi weren't much better.

However, due to her thoughts, she almost missed as the servant boy continued. "I was actually surprised when Amrein, I mean the Head got really angry and pulled them aside. Apparently, while they are allowed to continue learning under the guards, they were forced to learn another job besides it, I think one does mechanics for vehicles, while the other is learning to become a chef. I don't remember the exact words, but it was something along the lines of having a way to make a living, even without the war." he explained, which ended just as they arrived in front of the door to the dining room. "And here we are. Please, have a pleasant breakfast." He opened the door and left soon after, letting Satele enter the large room. The table was decked with all kinds of foods she had never seen before, a menu which was pleasant even if new and somewhat exotic to her taste.

Once she was done, she thanked the kitchen staff for coming to clean before leaving the chamber, asking one of them for directions to the training rooms. She felt like going through some katas.

However, when she arrived, what she found was the Head of the house sparring with their Sith Master, Sith-Lord Ageria Lessun if her intelligence was correct.

Surprisingly, there were not just Jaesa Willsaam, the Padawan they lost, but also some servants and soldiers of house Kyrath around. That wouldn't be abnormal considering Amrein was the head of the House, but most of them weren't there in the capacity of guarding or serving him, more like they were there to observe the training, curious or even going through their own training.

Approaching one, she questioned the latter, who was rather open about the events transpiring. Apparently, Amrein insisted that most people are given a look at the training, to demystify the Sith and Jedi to some degree.

Having her curiosity piqued, Satele sat down as well, meditating silently on the things she learned today, thinking about the things she was shown, in the meantime observing as Amrein fought against his Master, displaying a great amount of skill, even if his lack of experience shone through rather often. From her perspective, the child could probably throw anyone in this room around like a ragdoll with the force but insisted on utilizing only his training blade.

When he finally worked up a sweat, Ageria skillfully disarmed him as his training blade flew through half the hall. Amrein gave in, thanking Ageria for the guidance as he took deep mouthfuls of air.

"You're doing much better already. You started to read my movement, and you no longer try to block every hit, which is an improvement. Remember, you are currently still much too light to take most attacks head-on." Ageria explained. Even she herself wasn't a pure power-fighter due to her nature and figure, even with her size, but to Amrein she might as well be.

Amrein nodded, summoning his training blade back to his palm through the force, causing it to fly into his hand, taking his stance again.

There was another clash, occasionally accompanied by the surprised and intrigued oohs and aahs from the crowd. Still, to Amrein those noises didn't even register as he fought, ducking, weaving, and dodging the strikes from Ageria, occasionally deflecting an attack before using the gained momentum to strike back.

It was training, but it was fun. To him, exhausting himself, fighting someone like this, he enjoyed it. Probably in a real battle, less so, but practicing with Ageria was enjoyable, and maybe just a bit of a grin formed on his sweating face as he did his best to try and hit Ageria who still fought with a handicap.

Still, as powerful as he was in the force, his physical body was still that of a child, and without the stamina and strength to last without force-reinforcement, he soon fell onto his back from a riposte from Ageria as her training blade was held to his throat. "You fought well today, Apprentice." Ageria smiled, before holding out a hand for Amrein to grab, which he did, and helped him up.

Once he was back on his feet, Amrein saluted Ageria before walking over to the comfortable sitting-mats lying at the border of the Arena to rest for a moment.

Surprisingly, after taking a break and drinking some water, it was Amrein himself who approached her. "It is good to see you well-rested, Miss Shan." He greeted her with a large and bright smile. Even though his presence was as clouded as always, she felt a strange sense of excitement bleed through, an excitement she was familiar with whenever she met young Padawans that met her for the first time. It was the excitement and joy of a fan meeting someone they look up to. It was a bit unexpected.

Still, she remained professional. "I am indeed. Thank you, Lord Kyrath." Her address had the kid raise his eyebrows as the cogs in his head swirled, trying to make sense of her comment. It was only after a moment that it clicked. "Ah... that's fine. You can just call me Amrein like everyone else here, we aren't here on official business... right?" He questioned at the end, and Satele merely shook her head, to which Amrein's face lit up even further. "That's perfect then. Well, Miss Shan, would you be willing to partake in a small event?"

"A small event?" She questioned, and in the background, she could see the kid's master shake her head with a wry smile.

"Indeed. Few know it, but today I am to forge my crystal and blade... however, we will use this as a catalyst for something else as well, and I would like to hear your opinion." Amrein continued, and after some thinking, Satele agreed. It would help to gain some more intelligence about the newest entity causing chaos on the gameboard.

"Very well. Please, lead ahead." She spoke calmly, and Amrein nodded, calling out to Jaesa and Ageria as they all left the training hall and descended deeper into the facilities of house Kyrath.

The underground complex was massive, so it took some time until they reached there, but surprisingly, there wasn't much personnel down here. Amrein felt the need to explain. "House Kyrath was once a military-household, the sword of the crown. Sadly, it fell, but it also meant that a lot of their facilities were underground to protect themselves and their populace... at least it was supposed to." Amrein guided them towards a large hall, one with machinery all around the walls. Satele quickly got a feeling that those machines were more than just generators or decorations. Distorters, basically mechanical means to prevent the presence of the force from leaking without cutting it off completely.

Ageria noticed Satele's guarded look at the machines and merely huffed. "Do not worry yourself, Grandmaster. No harm shall come your way as long as you stay here. Those machines are here for the sake of him." She explained, directing her gaze to Amrein who already sat down on a comfortable bed. Actually, there were several beds all around the room, as well as some emergency medical equipment and a shut-down medical droid.

"Please, take a seat. There are... some things we need to explain before we start." Amrein added, and once everyone was sat down, gave a short introduction to the things that would soon transpire to Satele.

"I am actually grateful you stayed for another day, Miss Shan, for there are some things I need to share. Among them, the reason I called you here. You see, beyond anyone's visions but mine, somebody is suffering, someone I am planning to save. I will use the catalyst to save that person once it is working, so please, just observe. I will answer any and all questions afterward, as well as explain my hopes for you, Miss Shan."

Satele merely nodded, before she focused back on Amrein. One move of his hand, and the generators all around the room began to hum, a strange field opening up as she felt her connection to the force become... thinner. It wasn't gone, but it was limited.

Yet, it was then that Amrein finally dropped all shields, removed any restrictions, and in an instant, his eyes were covered in vision and sight, the force positively rumbling in his presence as Satele caught sight of the V̵̧̪̏̆͊̀̂Ȯ̸̝̼̝̦̱̝͕̪̋Í̷̧̢̨̛̘͙͊̀͑͒̒D̶̨̘̜̽̏͐͐͐͗ that was Amrein, and she shuddered.

Her eyes grew larger as between his palms a black hole of its own opened up, almost like the V̵̧̪̏̆͊̀̂Ȯ̸̝̼̝̦̱̝͕̪̋Í̷̧̢̨̛̘͙͊̀͑͒̒D̶̨̘̜̽̏͐͐͐͗ took shape between his palms, a copy of his own being. And yet, she noticed as the force twisted and rushed around it like a maelstrom. However, even stranger was that no emotions radiated from him, rather, countless emotions bounced off his presence from everywhere, radiating into the surroundings. Pain, sadness, loss, rage, but also hope, joy, patience, wanderlust, countless emotions, and feelings rushed over her, and for a second Satele felt herself be overwhelmed.

She wanted to jump up and defend herself, but the spectacle left her breathless and unable to move. Even Ageria and Jaesa beside her weren't doing much better, even if they were already used to Amrein's presence when he dropped all pretense of a natural flow.

For the first time, Amrein was not just revealing his emptiness, but portraying it onto something. And in this case, the force between his palms.

Satele didn't know how long the progress took, it might have been seconds, hours, or even days, her mind was in a daze when she witnessed those events, revelations about the true nature of the force coming to her, revelations that she couldn't digest correctly, merely take pieces of.

And yet, she finally realized what Ageria had warned her of the day before, the reason the force was so careful around him, warning her from taking action. Only now did she understand why this child needed protection. Not from others, not from people, but himself and the endlessness he was thrown into.

That was when the pressure vanished, the presence of this void disappearing behind artificial walls and returning to be almost identical with the area around him, his very existence seemingly disappearing before her being. However, the crystal remained floating there, and in that second, she noticed that Ageria and Jaesa prepared themselves.

One move, a bright light exploded before her, throwing everyone away, but in that second Amrein returned as well, his presence identical to how she had met him the day before, making everything that happened seem like an illusion if not for the child that had appeared in his arms.

Amrein collapsed, but in his tiny arms was another child, probably several cycles older than him, long blond hair falling before and hiding the bloodied face of the figure. Hurt, loss, sadness, those emotions rolled off the young form in waves, and yet Amrein seemed to radiate warmth to combat it, even though he himself was unconscious.

However, just the mere presence of this second child had Satele hiccup. If Amrein was a void barely tamed, hidden in plain sight, then this child was a bright sun in the force, a shining star even among countless force-users she had met to this day. And yet, unlike Amrein, she had little control. She felt like a beast put in a cage, emotions, and mind ravaged, barely held together, a touch of the now-familiar void barely leaving traces to keep it together.

Even though they were still out of it as well, Ageria and Jaesa moved, putting the child into the care of the medical droid who quickly had it placed in a bacta-tank for recovery after taking care of the worst wounds.

In the meantime, Amrein was put to bed, clutching the crystal he had forged. It was black, like the void of space, and yet within, one could catch sight of stars and shining nebula, like a tiny galaxy contained within, a fitting partner to a child beyond the force.

…

Satele took a while to regain her wits, and once she was back on her feet, finally realized why the distorters were necessary. Either the presence of Amrein during the procedure or just the child alone would have caused waves to echo through the galaxy and bring unwanted attention to this place.

However, once she went to look at the child floating in the bacta-tank, she soon noticed the way the wounds were placed, indicating torture, barely healed scars covering the body, but maybe even worse were the scars upon the mind, the lack of mental walls making every even slightly force-sensitive being able to feel their pain. Like a caged and tortured animal, it was defensive, but not shielded.

Satele could merely back off, even unconscious, this child had gone through great suffering and almost instinctively attacked everything around it to defend itself. The only hope was that it wasn't too late yet...

And at that moment, it finally clicked. The reason she was called here, the reason Amrein wanted her here... was it all for this? Still, she decided to wait until he woke up to receive her answer.

…

In the meantime, somewhere hidden from sight, several figures gathered around a table, all of them figures of power. That's when the door opened and another figure walked inside, his breathing barely heard through the mask he wore. "So, I have come, what do you want?" The figure asked, clearly displeased.

Though, his displeasure only grew when he caught sight of the other figures in the room, one especially. Still, seeing as they were technically his superiors, he reluctantly entered, closed the door, and took a seat.

That was when another armored figure at the table spoke up. "All of you have been invited here because I know from a trustworthy source that all of you have loyalty to the Empire and the Dark side, not to the Emperor who is growing more silent by the day." With those everyone seemed to land their gaze on one person, to whom this description wouldn't fit at all, especially considering his position.

"I know what everyone is thinking, but among all of us, he is probably the one with the greatest amount of disloyalty at the table, for he already knows what I recently learned." This caused everyone's gaze to wander back to the armored figure, especially the one who was gazed at a moment earlier. How did they know, what did they find out, and how?

But the armored figure didn't explain how he came into possession of said information, rather, he placed several small sith-holocrons onto the table. "These contain the discoveries I made, containing my memories of the visions and knowledge I gained. You all may study it, and destroy it after. My plans and idea are also contained, and all that agree, meet here again in one week." The armored figure stated, sharing the holocrons, one for each of them. "Especially you." He suddenly looked at the figure that showed up late. "I am well aware of your plans, and while I would usually confront you about them, what you will learn on this holocron might change your mind and approach." He stated, much to the latter's shock.

Once everyone trickled out, even the armored figure stood up and stopped merely for a moment near the figure that remained, the one who came last. "Maybe a fake Throne is no longer necessary, for we both know I will never take even the real one." He left shortly after, leaving the last figure in the room.

Only after he sorted his thoughts and studied the appearance of the holocron in his palms, did he finally stand up with a sigh. He put away the holocron and soon left. The last to arrive was the last to leave. And like always, there was determination in his every step.