A cold wind blew through the curtains in Brennen and Jeremy's bedroom, making them whisper together ominously even though the window itself was tightly shut. Ten-year-old Jeremiah muttered something in his sleep and rolled over to face the wall. His twin brother, Brennen, however, had been awake for hours, knowing what was coming that night. It had been going on for three nights a week for almost a year now.
The black-haired boy studied his brother's profile, feeling the odd sensation that he was looking into a mirror. Jeremy's shoulders were wide for his age, promising a powerful frame as he grew into manhood. His arms accented the fact. Although skinny, they had the wiry strength and boyish grace that would likely blossom into the arms of a fighter, skilled with the blade or whip.
A slight tap at the window ended Brennen's thoughtful study. He leapt out of bed, fully dressed, and unlatched the window with long, slender fingers. The tall, dark silhouette that stood on the grass outside emanated darkness that Brennen could almost see. Fear twisted his insides, but the desire to learn and please was stronger.
"I'm ready for my lesson, master Danton." Brennen said as he climbed out the window and bowed respectfully.
"Let's go, then." With his dark cloak billowing around him, the figure slid silently across the yard and disappeared into the shadows of the trees, making Brennen run to keep him in sight.
Although Brennen was in good shape, he had to push himself to the limits to keep up with master Danton. He knew better than to ask him to slow down, because he knew from previous experience that the sith would taunt him as being weak. Instead, Brennen tried to remember what he had been taught on previous nights, focusing on his pain and channeling the powerful energy of the dark side through his muscles.
For about a mile, Brennen dodged between trees and under low-hanging limbs, barely catching a glance of Danton's robe at each turn. He broke into a large clearing and skidded to a stop. Lying on the ground in front of him was a lightsaber. Its hilt was black with a blood red grip, and its activation button was shaped like a dragon . The sharply angled weapon spoke of a master craftsman. Brennen cautiously leaned down and picked it up, pressing the activation button with the same motion. A cloudy gray blade shot out, humming like a million angry bees.
With the lightsaber in a defensive position, Brennen carefully monitored his surroundings through his limited use of the Force. He nervously ran his finger along a scar running along the bottom of his jaw, knowing what would come next. Danton was a master of surprise, testing Brennen's alertness continually. The scar had been a result of one of these tests, but instead of earning him sympathy, he only recieved reproach. The sharp, cutting words had hurt Brennen more deeply than the physical wound, and had hardened his resolve to please his master in later situations.
Brennen's senses picked up his master's dark presence behind him a split second before the Sith dropped out of the trees, swinging his ruby-colored blade in a downward arc. Brennen spun and blocked the attack with his saber, the strength of the blow almost driving him to his knees. As his muscles strained against the pressure, his eyes met Danton's. The maniacal gleam in his eye betrayed his pleasure in watching Brennen squirm.
In desperation, Brennen Force-pushed Danton, making him stumble backwards and relieving the pressure on his blade.
Danton quickly regained his balance and looked at Brennen with mild surprise. "You're getting better, boy."
Brennen bit his lip to keep from grinning, and simply nodded. He lowered his blade slightly, and with the swiftness of a cat, Danton leapt across the space between them. Brennen barely brought the lightsaber back up in time to block the first blow, then twisted to meet the next.
As they whirled around each other, their lightsabers red and gray blurs, a wind whipped around them, starting out as a gentle breeze, but growing increasingly violent. Brennen's world shrank down to simply watching Danton's moves, blocking them, reacting, and looking for an opening. Finally, he got his chance. Parrying another blow, Brennen pivoted on his left foot and, channeling the Force through his body, kicked the sith in the stomach.
Danton bent over, the breath knocked out of him. When he straightened back up, a dangerous light was in his eye. Brennen cringed, but dared not run. He had learned early on what that look meant. Danton gestured with his hand, and the turbulent wind that had been circling around them seemed to gather behind him, crackling with energy. With another wave of his hand, the raging wind broke loose, fluttering the sith's cape and hitting Brennen head-on.
Brennen switched off the saber and threw his arm across his face in an attempt to defend himself against the forest debris being hurled at him. "Stop it!" he cried, then the onslaught swept him off his feet, throwing him across the clearing and smashing him against a tree.
Like a switch had been flipped, the wild tempest ceased immediately. As Brennen lay there, dazed, Danton strode over to him, grabbed him by the collar, and stood him on his feet. "Lesson's over, boy. Time to go back home."
Brennen tried to hand the saber back, as he did after every sparring match, but Danton pushed his hand away.
"Keep it. It's yours now."
Before Brennen could gather his wits, Danton started back through the woods at a slightly slower pace than before. Feeling tired and bruised, Brennen followed two paces behind him.
Without turning his head, Danton spoke. "Do you know why I chose you as my padawan?"
"Why, master?"
"Because I sensed in you a great potential. Under my training, you could become a powerful sith lord."
Brennen's heart leaped with pride inside him. "I will do my best to make you proud, Master Danton, but why aren't you training my brother, Jeremy, too?"
The sith hissed under his breath. "Jeremy is strong in the Force also, but he is too deeply entrenched in his 'standards' to ever make full use of his abilities. You are truly the more powerful of the two."
Brennen nodded, turning this over in his head. He loved his brother, but master Danton was right. Although they were physically identical, they were as different as night and day inside.
Danton continued. "This is also the reason I taught you to hide your feelings from the twin-link you and your brother share. Remember that no matter how much someone may say they love you, if they ever suspect what we've been doing, they will turn you in to the Jedi in a heartbeat."
The twin-link. A mysterious connection between Jeremy and Brennen that allowed them to sense what emotion the other twin was feeling. Whether it was through the Force that this had transpired or through some unexplainable bond that some twins shared, Brennen didn't know, but he understood the importance of keeping certain strong emotions hid.
They walked on in silence until they had almost reached Brennen's home. Then the sith stopped, motioning with his hand for Brennen to be silent. Danton stood stock-still, seeming to do nothing, but Brennen could feel the dark energy flowing out of him, monitoring whatever he had sensed to be wrong.
All of a sudden, Danton grabbed Brennen's arm and yanked him along at top speed towards his house. "It's the Jedi. They know I'm here!" He stopped outside Brennen's window and boosted him in. "Get in bed," he whispered.
"Are you going to fight? I can help you!" Brennen whispered back, his hand tightening on the lightsaber that now belonged to him.
"You're not ready yet," Danton said, glancing over his shoulder. "They can't find out that I'm training you." Then he turned and dashed across the yard, disappearing like a wraith into the shadows.
Brennen shut the window, climbed into bed, and stuffed his new lightsaber underneath his pillow. It was a long time before he finally fell asleep, and when he did, he dreamed of lightsabers clashing, blasters going off, and a dark shadow that had been dissipated by light.
Brennen was shaken awake by Jeremy early the next morning.
"Guess what happened last night!" Jeremy said, bouncing up and down on Brennen's bed with characteristic energy. Without waiting for an answer, he rushed on. "The Jedi found a sith nearby! But you don't have to worry. They killed him." Ignoring the shocked look on Brennen's face, he continued, "I wish I could have been there, with all the lightsabers and everything! When I grow up, I want to be a Jedi. How about you?"
Brennen felt like he had just aged twenty years during the night. He plastered a fake smile on his face and said, "Sure, Jeremy." He slid his hand under his pillow and grasped the hilt of the lightsaber. I'll never forget you, master. I'll find a way to continue my training!
The black-haired boy studied his brother's profile, feeling the odd sensation that he was looking into a mirror. Jeremy's shoulders were wide for his age, promising a powerful frame as he grew into manhood. His arms accented the fact. Although skinny, they had the wiry strength and boyish grace that would likely blossom into the arms of a fighter, skilled with the blade or whip.
A slight tap at the window ended Brennen's thoughtful study. He leapt out of bed, fully dressed, and unlatched the window with long, slender fingers. The tall, dark silhouette that stood on the grass outside emanated darkness that Brennen could almost see. Fear twisted his insides, but the desire to learn and please was stronger.
"I'm ready for my lesson, master Danton." Brennen said as he climbed out the window and bowed respectfully.
"Let's go, then." With his dark cloak billowing around him, the figure slid silently across the yard and disappeared into the shadows of the trees, making Brennen run to keep him in sight.
Although Brennen was in good shape, he had to push himself to the limits to keep up with master Danton. He knew better than to ask him to slow down, because he knew from previous experience that the sith would taunt him as being weak. Instead, Brennen tried to remember what he had been taught on previous nights, focusing on his pain and channeling the powerful energy of the dark side through his muscles.
For about a mile, Brennen dodged between trees and under low-hanging limbs, barely catching a glance of Danton's robe at each turn. He broke into a large clearing and skidded to a stop. Lying on the ground in front of him was a lightsaber. Its hilt was black with a blood red grip, and its activation button was shaped like a dragon . The sharply angled weapon spoke of a master craftsman. Brennen cautiously leaned down and picked it up, pressing the activation button with the same motion. A cloudy gray blade shot out, humming like a million angry bees.
With the lightsaber in a defensive position, Brennen carefully monitored his surroundings through his limited use of the Force. He nervously ran his finger along a scar running along the bottom of his jaw, knowing what would come next. Danton was a master of surprise, testing Brennen's alertness continually. The scar had been a result of one of these tests, but instead of earning him sympathy, he only recieved reproach. The sharp, cutting words had hurt Brennen more deeply than the physical wound, and had hardened his resolve to please his master in later situations.
Brennen's senses picked up his master's dark presence behind him a split second before the Sith dropped out of the trees, swinging his ruby-colored blade in a downward arc. Brennen spun and blocked the attack with his saber, the strength of the blow almost driving him to his knees. As his muscles strained against the pressure, his eyes met Danton's. The maniacal gleam in his eye betrayed his pleasure in watching Brennen squirm.
In desperation, Brennen Force-pushed Danton, making him stumble backwards and relieving the pressure on his blade.
Danton quickly regained his balance and looked at Brennen with mild surprise. "You're getting better, boy."
Brennen bit his lip to keep from grinning, and simply nodded. He lowered his blade slightly, and with the swiftness of a cat, Danton leapt across the space between them. Brennen barely brought the lightsaber back up in time to block the first blow, then twisted to meet the next.
As they whirled around each other, their lightsabers red and gray blurs, a wind whipped around them, starting out as a gentle breeze, but growing increasingly violent. Brennen's world shrank down to simply watching Danton's moves, blocking them, reacting, and looking for an opening. Finally, he got his chance. Parrying another blow, Brennen pivoted on his left foot and, channeling the Force through his body, kicked the sith in the stomach.
Danton bent over, the breath knocked out of him. When he straightened back up, a dangerous light was in his eye. Brennen cringed, but dared not run. He had learned early on what that look meant. Danton gestured with his hand, and the turbulent wind that had been circling around them seemed to gather behind him, crackling with energy. With another wave of his hand, the raging wind broke loose, fluttering the sith's cape and hitting Brennen head-on.
Brennen switched off the saber and threw his arm across his face in an attempt to defend himself against the forest debris being hurled at him. "Stop it!" he cried, then the onslaught swept him off his feet, throwing him across the clearing and smashing him against a tree.
Like a switch had been flipped, the wild tempest ceased immediately. As Brennen lay there, dazed, Danton strode over to him, grabbed him by the collar, and stood him on his feet. "Lesson's over, boy. Time to go back home."
Brennen tried to hand the saber back, as he did after every sparring match, but Danton pushed his hand away.
"Keep it. It's yours now."
Before Brennen could gather his wits, Danton started back through the woods at a slightly slower pace than before. Feeling tired and bruised, Brennen followed two paces behind him.
Without turning his head, Danton spoke. "Do you know why I chose you as my padawan?"
"Why, master?"
"Because I sensed in you a great potential. Under my training, you could become a powerful sith lord."
Brennen's heart leaped with pride inside him. "I will do my best to make you proud, Master Danton, but why aren't you training my brother, Jeremy, too?"
The sith hissed under his breath. "Jeremy is strong in the Force also, but he is too deeply entrenched in his 'standards' to ever make full use of his abilities. You are truly the more powerful of the two."
Brennen nodded, turning this over in his head. He loved his brother, but master Danton was right. Although they were physically identical, they were as different as night and day inside.
Danton continued. "This is also the reason I taught you to hide your feelings from the twin-link you and your brother share. Remember that no matter how much someone may say they love you, if they ever suspect what we've been doing, they will turn you in to the Jedi in a heartbeat."
The twin-link. A mysterious connection between Jeremy and Brennen that allowed them to sense what emotion the other twin was feeling. Whether it was through the Force that this had transpired or through some unexplainable bond that some twins shared, Brennen didn't know, but he understood the importance of keeping certain strong emotions hid.
They walked on in silence until they had almost reached Brennen's home. Then the sith stopped, motioning with his hand for Brennen to be silent. Danton stood stock-still, seeming to do nothing, but Brennen could feel the dark energy flowing out of him, monitoring whatever he had sensed to be wrong.
All of a sudden, Danton grabbed Brennen's arm and yanked him along at top speed towards his house. "It's the Jedi. They know I'm here!" He stopped outside Brennen's window and boosted him in. "Get in bed," he whispered.
"Are you going to fight? I can help you!" Brennen whispered back, his hand tightening on the lightsaber that now belonged to him.
"You're not ready yet," Danton said, glancing over his shoulder. "They can't find out that I'm training you." Then he turned and dashed across the yard, disappearing like a wraith into the shadows.
Brennen shut the window, climbed into bed, and stuffed his new lightsaber underneath his pillow. It was a long time before he finally fell asleep, and when he did, he dreamed of lightsabers clashing, blasters going off, and a dark shadow that had been dissipated by light.
Brennen was shaken awake by Jeremy early the next morning.
"Guess what happened last night!" Jeremy said, bouncing up and down on Brennen's bed with characteristic energy. Without waiting for an answer, he rushed on. "The Jedi found a sith nearby! But you don't have to worry. They killed him." Ignoring the shocked look on Brennen's face, he continued, "I wish I could have been there, with all the lightsabers and everything! When I grow up, I want to be a Jedi. How about you?"
Brennen felt like he had just aged twenty years during the night. He plastered a fake smile on his face and said, "Sure, Jeremy." He slid his hand under his pillow and grasped the hilt of the lightsaber. I'll never forget you, master. I'll find a way to continue my training!