"Fading Light"

Following the aftermath of the battle on Lithoori, Ben Skywalker -Son of Luke Skywalker- is recovering in the Jedi's temple medical bay at the Planet Ossus from his injuries inflicted by the darksider know as Aryss Helranth- a former dark jedi thought dead by the hands of Kyle Katarn. With this new threat that surfaced, the Jedi council has a busy time on their hands.

Ben found himself in an isolated place. A cold shiver ran down his spine.

Where am I? He thought to himself as he walked into the dark, graduately feeling colder with each step he took. Did I die? What is this place...?

Ben reached for his lightsaber but found that he wasn't carrying it. Something wasn't right here. The last thing he remembered was the crimson lightsaber slashing across his chest. He couldn't have survived that could he? He continued his path, even though he didn't know where he was going to. The dark crept along with him, almost as if it was haunting him.

Venturing deeper through the dark with his hands in front of him searching for any sign of a wall to follow. His hands touched an ice cold barrier, seemingly invisible in the dark. Fear invaded his mind. It shouldn't end like this. He is the son of Luke Skywalker, the hero of the Galactic Civil War, the hero of the Vong war...Was this really the fate of his son, wandering in the dark for eternity by the hands of a darksider?

For a moment he wanted to scream until he felt an icy touch on his shoulders. He didn't want to turn around, afraid for what might be behind him. But he didn't let fear take control; he was too well trained for that. He slowly turned around, pivoting on his left foot only to encounter this woman. She was totally dressed in a black robe with a silver shimmering underneath. At closer inspection he noticed that her looks were padded with silver armor covering her shins and upper legs. After gazing into the woman's dark eyes Ben felt more at ease. He never saw more beautiful eyes besides his girlfriend's.

"Where...am I?" Ben asked as he took a few steps backward.

"Be at ease, young jedi knight. I am not for you to fear...The Galaxy will be in turmoil. You are the only one that can stop it."

Ben was confused. Who was this person and how did she know this?

"The Lithoori uprising was just the beginning young Skywalker...Remember this, but don't speak of it."

The entire room began to fade out as he woke up on a bed strapped to devices. In panic he tried to rip the plugs off his body. Suddenly he felt a force holding him back and he saw two familiar hands pressing on his chest. He gazed dazzled across the room as he focused on the person next to him. The blur went away and he could see Katie Erayla standing next to his bed holding him down. The very sight of her filled his heart with joy as he embraced her. Katie's arms embraced him.

"Ben, you are trembling...What happened? A nightmare?" You could call it a nightmare yes, but there was more about it. It felt too real for it to be just a nightmare. With the words of the woman still ringing in his ears all he could do was to nod. A medical droid came in and gave Ben a shot of some sort of medicine. With Katie's lips touching his forehead he gently fell back to sleep.

During days of recovery, the mark on his chest remained nothing more but a faint scar. He couldn't stop thinking about the dream he had; about the woman in it. He was walking through the corridors of the new Jedi Temple. The corridors were well decorated, giving this place a cozy feeling. He glanced through a door made from transparent steel and saw the meeting of the council members. He couldn't hear what they were discussing, but he was sure it was about the Lithoori Uprising. He was still dazed, an aftereffect of the drug, he thought. He became even more dazed and he decided to sit down and take a rest. While trying to clear his mind from questions a voice overtook his meditation.

They'll betray you...

Ben was startled and quickly jumped up as his heartbeat raced. That voice...It was the voice from the woman in his nightmare. Was he losing his mind? Ben kept his hand against the wall as he slowly walked to where the training room was. He could hear the crackling of two lightsabers and walked through door after touching the control pad located on the wall next to it. The door hissed open and the sound was followed from laughter in the room. He took a glance and noticed Katie sitting on top of Mikan, his best friend. He felt uneasy with that appearance, but why? Mikan was his friend; he wouldn't try to take his girlfriend, would he?

See, told you they would...

The voice spoke in his head again. He tried to shrug it off, but no luck. He wanted to go to the medical bay fast. He was hoping these feelings he was experiencing were some form of aftereffect.

"Ben! It's good to see you out of your bed," the young boy from Naboo said as Katie stepped of him so that Mikan could approach his friend.

"Good to see me out of my bed? I assumed you would want me to stay in bed longer, considering the fun you and Katie had."

This drew a confused expression on Mikan's face. "What are you talking about, Ben?"

"Don't act as if you are stupid, you know exactly what I'm talking about."

Mikan stepped closer toward Ben. "Come on, Ben, we're best friends. I wouldn't do that to you."

Ben stared at the ceiling lights and wiped his eyes. "Yes...I know. Sorry."

Katie grabbed Ben's shoulders and tried to relax them. "Are you okay? Perhaps you should go back to the med–"

"I'm fine," Ben snapped as he took one of the training sabers that was on the desk and thumbed it on. The glow of an emerald lightsaber illuminated the room . . .

Ben pointed the lightsaber at Mikan, challenging him.

This turn of events brought the saber instructor, Kyle Katarn, to observe them. While Mikan activated his blue lightsaber, Ben approached him with a daunting stance. Mikan couldn't help but back off one step at a time.

"Delwynna! He's taunting you. Don't be afraid, stand up for yourself," Katarn said as Ben took a swing at Mikan. Mikan parried it and quickly pivoted to Ben's left side, drawing a smirk on Ben's face. Katie took her distance from the two to give them more room; she couldn't tell who she was worried about. The Ben she saw now was alien to her; she hoped that this thing wouldn't escalate into anything serious.

Ben resumed with some controlled parries towards Mikan's chest, unbalancing him, and stabbed the lightsaber between his arm and waist.

"Be careful, Mikan, that could have cost you more then your arm." Ben's smirk turned into a grin as he parried with Mikan's attacks.

"Good," Katarn spoke. "You two are fighting very controlled, scanning for your opponents weakness. Keep it up."

Ben's attention went to Katarn, leaving an opening for Mikan, who took it, much to the surprise of Ben. Ben spun and brought his lightsaber against Mikan's as the two lightsabers hissed on contact.

Ben's strength was too much for the younger Mikan to hold. Ben broke through Mikan's defense and punched him with the hilt of the training saber to knock Mikan to the ground. Kyle Katarn quickly held them apart as an angry Mikan stood up, trying to punch Ben.

"Guys...Guys! Calm down! What was that all about?"

Ben laughed. "He can't keep up with me, and he isn't manly enough to handle that." Katie pulled Ben back and stared at him with an angry gaze.

"What is wrong with you Ben?" Ben looked away and left the room while Katarn and Katie checked Mikan's nose and lips.

Ben was pissed off that Katie stood up for Mikan, for what? He took him out fair. He couldn't keep his thoughts from the woman again. Was she right? Was something going to happen to the Galaxy, and was he the only one that could stop it? He made way to the Council room to see what everything was about.

As he remained in the corridor, overhearing the conversations, he felt a dizziness rise to his head again and knew that the voice was returning.

They won't listen to you, young Skywalker. Your father is holding you back; he is afraid that you'll become stronger than him.

Ben kept listening instead of fighting the voice; surely he couldn't be insane because of a cut on his chest.

Remember the traitor; The traitor that left your father's order? He is behind it all; he is the master of puppets. He is the one holding the strings.

Ben gave her words some deep thoughts. They seemed wise to him. She made sense.

Train under me. You shall become the most powerful Jedi.

Ben shook his head. "Stop...I'm not your student." When he turned around he noticed his father standing looking at his son awkwardly.

"Who were you talking to, Ben?"

"No one, Father! How did the meeting go?"

The father and son walked down the corridors toward the dormitories. "I've decided to stay out of this conflict, but I will send someone to investigate the matter of Aryss Helranth. D'khar will get the assignment, together with his student, Mikan." Hearing this Ben stopped and looked at his father with disbelieve.

"We can't back out of this!"

Luke turned his attention to Ben as he looked at him questioning. "Is there something you want to tell me?"

Ben looked down and sighed. "No, Father. But why can't I go after Aryss? I'm ready for knighthood, Father."

Luke let out a sigh. "Not this again, Ben. We've discussed this over and over again. I don't consider you ready for it yet."

Ben's emotions got filled with disappointment and anger and Luke could feel it.

"You think I'm too weak, right!? No, wait, you're afraid that I'm growing stronger then you!" Ben hastened himself away from his father, who was looking at his angry son.

"What do I do wrong, Ben?"

Night had fallen, and alone in his room, Ben Skywalker sat on his bed. The woman, she was right...Right about everything. He heard knocking on his door and heard Katie's voice coming from the other side. He used the Force to use the controls to open the door.

"Hi..." Katie said as she waited for Ben to invite her in. Ben motioned with his hand and Katie stepped in as the door closed behind her.

"I've been thinking about our relationship, Ben, we had it great for years...But lately you seem to be somewhere else; I never saw you like this." Ben couldn't look into Katie's eyes; he knew he was different, ever since the dream. But the mysterious woman was always right.

"Ben, perhaps we should give each other some room. I don't want to stress you with this relationship." Ben looked at the floor trying to hold back the sadness he felt now. Katie was going to break up with him, he felt it. It was written all over her face.

"You like Mikan more then me, right?" Ben spoke softly. Katie shrugged and tried to explain, but Ben wouldn't have it. He was done with the lies he received his entire life as a Jedi.

"I take it that you want to dump me?" Ben said doing his best to hold back his tears.

"What else can I do?" Katie replied.

Ben couldn't hold back the tears any longer and dashed out of his room, while all Katie could do was look after him while tears were rolling down her tanned skin.

Ben kicked against a door while he proceeded towards the training center, where his father trained against those droids. He couldn't believe it; everyone was turning against him. What did he do to deserve it, he thought as he walked into the training room. He set the droid to the second highest training mode, with the voice in his head instructing him through every part of his fight...He had a new Master now.

His new mistress watched her apprentice as this once so bright center of the Force was slowing turning into a fading light that would eventually slip into the dark.