Disclaimer: I ( draksisreborn) own nothing but my OCs. Star Wars belongs to Lucasfilm and Disney. Many thanks to zazabelle once again for making this possible with me. This chapter/interlude is much shorter than the others, as it was originally cut from chapter 4. We felt that it made chapter 4 much too long and drawn out, but couldn't bear to simply delete it. SO here we are. Please review and enjoy this latest installment.

Rating: T

'You know you have to move forward.'

'There's a reason that room opened.'

'What if that reason is just that you're destined to fail?'

I wiggled about uncomfortably as I tried to find comfort in the stars that filled the night sky. Tonight, I had made my way up to one of the tattered roofs of the temple while I tried desperately to escape that room. Ever since that room opened up in the library, my guide has wanted me to do nothing else but go into it. I've continued with other branching paths. Read holocrons, reenact battles, exploring the temple, writing whatever, but they all came back to the same outcome.

'Go back into the scary tunnel Vis. Come on, it'll be fun.'

No it won't be fun my guide, no offense.

I lay on my back, listening and taking in the cosmos. Through my guide, I could see a strange movement over the sky, like waves of the sea. Energy swarming and crashing, ebbing and flowing, all mixing together in an infinite exchange of life and probability, it's a beautiful dance.

It's hard to believe at times that I used to be scared of the dark, of being anywhere other than tucked away in my bed really. But I learned in time the night is a gift, able to, just for a while, hide the imperfections of all things so you can only see what's in front of you in perfect silhouetted beauty. Great peace can always be found during such times… and yet.

I felt my leg begin twitching almost uncontrollably.

I thought I was past fears.

I thought I was past pain.

And then a new path opened.

I felt my thoughts begin to swirl at the thought of the darkness that had opened up in the temple library. The gateway that had suddenly activated without warning, and more importantly, without reason. The hallway that had opened up, lead down somewhere dark. Not dark like the night, dark like the sleep of death. A place where even the veins of the temple did not stretch down or cast their light.

I had walked up to the doorway, the Force nearly pushing me in, yet it felt wrong. How could that be?

Then the darkness that enveloped me.

And I ran out. I ran away from the path.

I shuddered and sat up.

I looked off into space, the images around me growing funny as my eyes zoned out. I reached out, tenderly and purposefully towards the Force.

"My guide. I never really thought I was afraid of anything, I've never felt in myself a reason to worry with you by my side. With you showing me the paths, the twists and turns, I've never truly been alone… But that room. It's so dark in there. Not like the dark of the sky, it's dark like…" I quickly stood, I didn't want to sit still. I squeezed my eyes shut, "Nothingness. The dark like nothingness. It showed me something I didn't even know I needed to fear."

Wrapping my arms around myself, I tried to calm my breathing.

"I-I couldn't feel you when I was in there. You disappeared. I never considered that a possibility. How could you still want me to go in there? How could you want me to go to a place where you aren't? That place is a poison. I never realized that could ever be a reality until I stepped in there! Is that a reality that could happen? One where I lose my connection? I lose my powers? A reality where I lose you? My guide… I've never felt so alone except in that one moment. Why did you bring me there? Why does it exist? What's going to happen that I needed to feel that!?"

A shiver ran through my body.

A path opened up.

I laughed, almost relieved as the Force pulled me along.

Pulling me over to near the edge of the rooftop, I felt the Force envelope my being, position my being, and preparing me for something.

Suddenly, I could almost hear my mother's words in my ear. The memory of our old scavenging game my family had played with me, once again came to the forefront of my mind. The guide placing me in the place of another.

'Pretend you were them. What would they have done? What would they have felt?'

I smiled at the presence of my invisible friend.

"I love this game!" I spoke excitedly as the play-pretend began.

I took a step forward, suddenly imaging I was the pilot of a ship, sailing amongst the stars. I caressed the control panel of my ship before flipping the switches on some consoles and the ship hummed to life. Making the sound of the engine with my lips, I rushed forward steering through incoming fire.

Skipping forward, I became someone new.

Swinging my arm forward, I pretended to wield some sort of double bladed weapon. Smiling and laughing, I took a stab at an unknown object. Realizing things sometimes needed to be taken apart in order to be fixed. Was I an engineer?

Leaping through the air, I imagined the feeling of flying through the air. A new character joined my ranks. A fighter, swift and fearless. I slid a canister of some kind onto my shoulder, imaging the heavy weapon shooting bombs like fireworks into the sky.

Next, I felt myself become a powerful and precise being. Calculating and cold, but different and understanding nonetheless. I took a running start towards a boulder in the roof and jumped to the other side.

Rolling forward, I became a captain, defending and leading his crew into the great unknown. Looking for something for himself, for his crew…

Realization passed through me as I kept up the fighting motions, "These people aren't me. That feeling you showed me in the temple… it's what people feel like without you, isn't it? Alone and adrift."

With a final jab, the fighting motions ceased for a moment.

The Force took my hand and lead me along.

"Where are we going?" I asked, the thought of epic battles still being played out around me as we walked towards one of the collapsed edges of the roof.

A pile of debris made a small ramp from the roof into the floor below. Walking down into the hole, I came to a room I had only glanced over in the temple. It was completely empty except for some piles of rock debris.

My senses flared out.

There was something in here.

Walking carefully across the room, I stopped over a pile of rocks. The Force highlighting something about the rocks in my brain.

I reached down and grabbed one. Dust spilled off of the surprisingly light object.

I coughed as I brushed away more of the dirt.

In my hands I held a mask, one of those worn by Jedi temple guards I believe. I had read about them in a few of the holocrons along with the jobs of several other Jedi and Sith.

Suddenly, I felt the power of a lightsaber in my hand. A hood draped about my face. I heard shots being fired and screams. I placed the mask over my face with a smile.

"Someone's coming. Aren't they?"

I felt new paths open. I had more to do before I could sleep tonight. I think some sort of purpose was about to be fulfilled.

"We're not done with the scary tunnel, are we?"

I sneezed.