Part Six: Into the Dark Cave
I was now deep within the cave, but I could still hear Jar Jar calling out to me. Something was telling me to go back, but I forced it out, and continued on. I felt anger and tension in the back of my throat. She's but a girl. A girl with a bright future ahead of her. Take me instead, exchange her life for mine. Don't put her through more torture. I didn't care. I wanted her to see the light of day again. I wanted to see her face and feel her warm embrace. I'd do anything to save her from this dark, cold cave.
The interior of the cave was cool, but much like the cave on Tatooine. The sun gave it a blue-haze against the reflection in the streams. It was easy for one to get lost with the many small passageways leading into the darkness of the cave. But I kept my options open, listened to where the stream went and where the Force was guiding me.
....."Don't draw on your insights and center your thoughts on
the future, Obi-Wan. You must keep your concentration on the here and
now where it belongs,"
Qui-Gon told me. "That's where it is needed most."
"But Master Yoda told me I should be mindful of the future," I protested.
"But not at the expense of the moment. Be mindful of the Living
Force, my young Padawan. The future is always in motion."
"Yes, Master." I nodded firmly......
Oh, Qui-Gon, I remember those words like it was a poem. But why can't I seem to comprehend it now? Where are you, Master? Why does he feel you have left me when I need you the most? I can still feel you, but I'm not sure if you're really there. It was hard for me to fight back the pain I was beginning to feel. It pierced my heart like several needles.
I came to a stop as the cave seemed to open up. A lake formed at the far side of it and a platform was seen at the other end of the cave. Something in rags laid atop of it.
"Sabé." I said quietly.
I was about to move down the path into the opening of the cave, but I was halted by chatter going on deep within the other side of the cave. Shadows began to emerge from the passageways, creating a ring around the huge lake. There was no definite form to them. Some had yellow eyes, others had red eyes. They all had hind legs that appeared to work like a dragon or lizard. Some had wings. Others had spikes. They all had four short arms, each having four-digits and ears that resembled Master Yoda's. They were unfamiliar to me and their dialect was too primitive for me to understand. They used a series of clicks and short cries as dialect.
THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!
Loud thumps shook the cave, shaking loose debris from the ceiling above. Several stalactites came crashing to the cave floor as the thumping grew louder. The biggest of the shadows gave out a piercing cry that made my ears ring in pain. The smaller ones cheered on their leader. He addressed them in a series of clicks and short cries along with a language all too familiar to anyone, sign language.
Two warriors, as they seemed to look, took the feeble body and stood it up to face the leader. He sneered and gave a thunderous roar. This time it forced me back. My ears seemed to explode, or was going to, if I heard another roar. I called on the Force to calm down my nerves. But another rage of anger shook my bones.
I withdrew my lightsaber and disappeared into the shadows below. The leader, standing at 12 feet tall, smiled as Sabé came to. Her eyes were heavy and bloodshot. Her clothes torn to nothing more than rags, and she could only stand with assistance from her captures. She had cuts that began to form into scars all over her body. And I knew she couldn't handle anymore torture. Not in her condition, with lack of food and water.
The leader stepped forward and raised his two right arms to meet another sick torment for his pleasure. I waved my hand quickly, sending four creatures into the ring to block his blow. He snarled and turned his attention to the shadows. Everyone grew quiet, and followed his gaze. Sabé followed with a drunken head, as a green blade emerged from the darkness.
The creatures didn't hesitate to attack. But I was faster, allowing the Force to guide me in every move I made. But it was more than the Force guiding me, something heavy and dark, much like the Dark Side. Their cries echoed throughout the cave, but I didn't care. Then the leader roared, stopping the fight. My lightsaber stopped short of cutting down another warrior. I looked over at Sabé, our eyes met for a second, until her head dropped, heavily. Two creatures threw me into the ring, the leader looked at me with narrow eyes.
: Very good, my young competent. :
It was a voice all right, but I heard it in my head.
"You speak the Basic dialect?" I questioned, in vain.
The creature clicked his primitive dialect and nodded. : I seek a guidance with your bravery to request I take your life over hers? :
"Yes. But how did you know?" I stood my ground, the lightsaber ignited and firm in my grip.
The creature laughed, furiously and smiled his sharp teeth. : Foolish of you. Foolish to have lowered your defenses for her. I would of expected better from an opponent such as yourself. But you proved you could take out some of my best warriors and for that, I give you credit. But for her to be set free, a challenge I seek. :
"A challenge? What kind of challenge?" Fear consumed every ounce of my body.
: Against me. Or are you afraid to face your destiny over hers? :
This creature was no fool. Only a Sith was capable of using such a distraction to lower their opponent's shield, to lower their senses and defenses enough to take them out with deadly force. It's what Master Yoda stated in one of the training sessions. Yet, there was something in me that felt different. My thoughts and guide were not of the Force, but of some other nature. I looked at the creature again, my eyes narrowing. The creature beginning to take some formation in my mind, but it still wasn't clear to me. But was this a Sith? And why didn't the one who I and Qui- Gon face using this same method to destroy us? His method was silence and rage. I felt the Dark Side closing in around me.
The creature opened his mouth and launched a fireball at me. I jumped away at the last second and rolled into a fighting stance. The creature sneered and swung his mighty spiked tail at me. I jumped over and caught a blow in the side of his back. He gave out a shrieking cry that only turned to laughter.
: Is that all you got? I got warriors who fight better with two arms missing. Why the hesitation to act? To fight me? Are you afraid to die? :
The creature smiled and flung his hand out. A bolt of blue lightning shot from his hand and came my way. I caught it with my lightsaber and tried to deflect it back, but the saber absorbed it like it was energy to keep it alive. A blue lightning bolt was only a skill mastered by the dark Jedi, but the Jedi were still taught how to deflect it. Be aware of it. But Jedi were never taught how to use to, for it was another tool that drew one closer down the Dark Path. For sometime I felt it, yet never got to the stage to use it as an attack, but rather more as a defense. Could this possibly be a Sith? And would he become a threat to the people of Naboo? Or anyone else in the galaxy? I wasn't going to fail again.
The creature roared and slammed his foot into the ground. It shook, sending waves of debris to rain down on us. The smaller ones ran into the passageways, safe from harm. The stalactites dropped all around, putting me on the defense. The Force told me where the next one would fall. Was he trying to kill us all?
: Run. Run, like my pathetic warriors, Jedi. But I assure you, this is only the beginning. Beginning of your destruction. :
I froze in terror. My body grew cold with every breath I took. How did he know I was a Jedi? Or the rare blue lightning? He looks so primitive.
: A powerful thing you possess, my yound friend. This Force that sets the Jedi and Sith apart, but still brings them so close. You will fall just like the Republic. Quicker than you'll have time to save it from darkness, Jedi. The Dark Side is in fact stronger, and you have felt its power. You know exactly how powerful it is. :
"What?" I looked at the creature, confused. I felt frozen in my tracks.
The creature said no more and disappeared into the interior of the cave with his warriors. I jumped away from another rock and rushed to the motionless handmaiden. She was unconscious, but very much alive. I grabbed her, allowing her head to rest on my shoulder and retreated back the way I came. I called on the Force to guide me out of there, away from the dust and debris of darkness. I ran and ran, never looking back as the dust and debris began to destroy the path behind me.
I nearly tripped when I reached the brightness of the sun again. The entrance was engulfed in dust and rock, sealing it shut with the other caves collapsing around it. I dropped to the ground, rolling to my side, and watched the last of the cave seal up, happiness and fear ran through my veins. The dark fear of something else guiding me beyond the Force was diminished. I could feel the lightness around me. The land and its beauty.
"Obi, yousa alive! Mesa thought I'd neva see you again," Jar Jar said happily, hugging me.
I pulled away and coughed vigorously slumping over to my back. I felt like I was deprived of oxygen forever, like I forgot how to breath. Jar Jar continued to ramble on, as I turned away from the cave. Beside me, several feet away, laid a motionless body. I crawled over to her, still catching my breath.
"Sabé? Sabé? Please, wake up," I pleaded.
I wiped away the sweat from my brow and brought her closer to me. Force, please help me. Save her. She doesn't deserve to die.
Her body was so limp. So helpless. I had to do something. I was no Healer, not yet, but I had to do something.
"Jar Jar?" I turned to look at the waiting Gungan.
He perked up his ears, attentively.
"Go get some water," I tried to stay calm.
"Okey-dey," the Gungan perked up a smile, trying to cheer me up.
I gave a weak smile, acknowledging his attempt to try and lighten the mood.
Jar Jar left in a rush. I looked down at the body laying in my arms. I need you more than anything, Master. I need you, Force. I don't know what's happening to me. That feeling I had in the cave was not of the Force, but of something else. I've felt it before, but never so strongly. So heavy. So dark. I placed a hand gently around her wrist and eyes and began to concentrate. I felt a disturbance in the Force, but ignored it. I had to save Sabé. That was my number one priority, now. I could feel the Force coming together around us. I could almost see her face in the calming visions I had. The cool colors of the Force's power was seen in my thoughts, felt in my entire body.
Jar Jar came back and sprinkled the water on Sab's face.
"Thank you, Jar Jar." I arose from the Healing Process.
But Jar Jar said nothing, his eyes affixed on the cave I came from. He shrieked as the entrance exploded and we were met with a bolt of lightning. With lightning fast speed, I pulled out my lightsaber and caught the blow. Anger and fury flowed through my body. Again, the rage was my guide – not the Force. The leader emerged from the clearing dust. He was still a shadow in the light. Darkness fell around us. And there was nowhere to really go to. Nowhere to hide.
To be continued....