Chapter 18: Depth of the Light
Weeks began to mold into months as time passed for the Jedi and others on Icylian. Sim came out of his seclusion and once more took up Leia's training with the help of Tosh. As Leia became more powerful in the ways of the Force, they discussed the possibility of establishing a new Jedi Order, though; they all knew this was a bit far off in the future.
As Leia trained one day, Sim watched on as his apprentice mastered her lightsaber form. She had come a long way since a year and a half ago when he first began instructing her in the ways of the Force. She had become more powerful than most Jedi in the Old Jedi Order, yet she had one task left: defeat her master. For all her power she had yet to defeat Sim Nam in a lightsaber or Force contest/fight. She even had asked him one day,
Sim blocked another swipe from Leia's lightsaber as she quickly twirled and swiped before leaping up and brought her lightsaber down in a backwards arc but Sim was too fast. In one move, he blocked her swipe and brought his blade behind him to block Leia's downward arc. As the two lightsabers disengaged, Leia judged Sim. He had very few, if any, weaknesses in his lightsaber form. She once more began the contest as she thrust toward him and instead of allowing her blow to turn into an outside hit; she immediately stopped it and leaped to the side as she brought her blade down on Sim's shoulder. She knew she had won.
But to her surprise, Sim had seen this. He instantly brought his lightsaber up as he did a forward leap and landed on his feet before Leia's thrust hit him, he jumped to the side and in one sideways arc, hit Leia's lightsaber out of her hand and brought his black blade's tip to her throat. The duel was over. Leia immediately force-called her lightsaber to her hand and clipped it to her belt.
"Master, I see you have won again," said Leia with sarcasm in her voice.
"Don't worry my apprentice, you've grown in skill and power since the last time we dueled," replied Sim as he patted her on her back.
"But Master, that's what you tell me every time. I have yet to defeat you, even once," replied Leia as her spirit dampened.
Sim offered a chuckle before replying, "My very young apprentice, you expect to defeat someone with over 40 years of training and mastery of the Force with only a year and a half of training in the Jedi arts."
Leia only replied with a nod as they returned to the inside of the temple. While Leia hit the showers, Sim went to the library to find something. As he entered the room, he closed the large metallic door behind him and searched each row until he found what he was looking for. It was the book, "Ways of the Force."
He picked it out of the shelf as he sat down and began reading it.
Myrenia came into the dark room as she closed the door behind her. Suddenly the lights flickered on as the figure of Vader appeared before her. Myrenia immediately fell to one knee as she bowed before the Dark Lord of the Sith.
"Rise, my apprentice," said Vader as he motioned with his hand for her to get up, "I have an important assignment for you."
"I will take any assignment, master," answered Myrenia as she stood tall and straight before her master.
"I have located the hiding place of Sim Nam and Leia Skywalker," said Vader booming with a huge grin on his face, "I task you to take four other 'Hands' and attack the planet. I want Sim either killed or brought before me while Leia must be brought alive."
"Yes, master," replied Myrenia, "What planet are they hiding on?"
"My Force-Locaters have pinpointed them to the ancient planet of Icylian," said Vader, "Show no mercy, my apprentice."
"Yes, Master," answered Myrenia as she once more bowed but before she could leave, Vader said something.
"My apprentice, as a reward for your loyalty, I hereby will be bestowing a new title upon you," said Vader with an evil smile, "Henceforth, you will be the Dark Knight of the Sith, Darth Avenger." Myrenia's eyes opened up wide in surprise but only for a second before bowing again to Darth Vader.
"Thank You, master" replied the newly christened Darth Avenger, "I will not fail you or my title."
Avenger left the room as she walked down the corridors with a new sense of pride. She was now a Sith Lord, but a Dark Knight of the Sith. She smiled as she neared her shuttle and found three other figures there. She stopped before them and checked each.
There were two men and one woman. They all were strong force-adapts that wielded the dark side with great power. The three bowed before the Dark Knight as she motioned them silently to head into the shuttle. It was time for the hunt.
Tosh struck down another blaster shot as his emerald green lightsaber spun in his hands and protected him from the onslaught. The training droids immediately stopped as they surrounded him. Tosh closed his eyes as he allowed the light side of the Force to surround him and increase his power and awareness.
With a swift back stroke, Tosh instantly blocked the shot from the back as he turned in a 360 degree spin and used his lightsaber to deflect the bolts. He immediately brought up his lightsaber to block another shot at his shoulder before sliding it down to deflect a shot at his legs. As the last shots were easily deflected by Tosh's lightsaber, the training exercise came to an end.
Tosh clipped his lightsaber to his belt as he walked over to Leia, who was watching the entire exercise,
"How do you think I did, young Skywalker," asked Tosh as he picked up a towel and wiped the sweat from his face.
"Well, you did great," answered Leia, "for someone who hasn't done any lightsaber training for over twenty years."
Both of them got up as they left the building. The place seemed so quite since Sim had left a couple of days before on a personal mission of his own to meet some "old friends" while Han, Lando, and Chewie had left to Bespin to get some business done. They would be back within a couple of days. So that left both Leia and Tosh in the temple. They spent most of their time doing lightsaber duels, training, meditation, and reading. It was getting boring now.
While Tosh went to the showers, Leia sped to the meditation room as she got ready. She closed her eyes and let the light surround her as she once more was enveloped by the light of the Force. Immediately something began appearing before her, it was a young woman that looked familiar. As the image appeared before Leia, the young, calm women looked straight into Leia's eyes with great passion and kindness.
"Hello, Leia," said the women as she floated in the netherworld of the Force.
"Hello," stuttered Leia, "who are you?"
"I am your mother, Padme Skywalker," answered Padme as she smiled kindly to her daughter.
"Mother?" responded Leia as she was taken back," but how? You're not Force-sensitive."
"A mother's love is all that I need, my young child," answered Padme.
Leia just looked at Padme in awe. All these years she had always wanted to see her mother in her prime, but all she had was memories. But now she was right in front of her.
"I can't believe it is you," answered Leia as she smiled at her mother.
"I see that you've become a powerful Jedi like your father was, once," said Padme with a sweet voice that showed no anger.
"Was. He is no longer any of that. He is just evil," replied Leia with a distant gaze of sorrow.
"My child, there is still good within him and your brother. They are not lost. Feel the light within them and you will succeed," said Padme with a reassuring voice. Leia just nodded as she remembered feeling the light within her brother and somewhat less in her father, but still deep within, it was there for both of them.
"Leia, but, I'm here to warn you," said Padme with a now stern voice, "There is danger coming to Icylian. Vader has found your whereabouts."
"What! How can that be possible? We are shielding our presences," answered Leia who was now panicking.
"Your connection with your father can not be hidden," answered Padme solemnly. As she had appeared, she suddenly disappeared before Leia and Leia was once more in her room, wide awake. She looked around the room and found everything fine. She suddenly remembered Padme's warning and searched the temple. Something was wrong.
Leia jolted to the door as she checked for her lightsaber. It was still hanging from her belt. She ran into the hallway as she looked around and felt what was wrong. Suddenly she heard a sound and turned to meet a set of yellow, red eyes. The face of the person was young and beautiful but behind it only laid darkness. It was Myrenia.
Leia jolted back as she saw three other figures appear behind Myrenia.
"Hello, Princess." said Myrenia, "I hope you liked your stay her because your coming with me."
Leia immediately backed away as they came closer.
"I'm not going anywhere, Myrenia," answered Leia as she stopped in her tracks and force-warned Tosh, who was leaving the showers.
"My name is no longer Myrenia. It is Darth Avenger, the Dark Knight of the Sith," shouted Myrenia with venom in her voice in each word.
"It does not matter to me what your name is, but that you are still a Sith," answered Leia as her Jedi robe fell to the ground and she unclipped her lightsaber from her belt.
"So be it. My powers have grown, young Skywalker." said Avenger as she pulled her lightsaber as the other three figures pulled theirs out, too. Four red blades sprang to life, "Vader have given us the strict order to keep you alive. But that doesn't mean we can't inflict pain on to you."
Leia ignited her silver blade lightsaber as she brought her lightsaber into her Form IV stance. She was ready for a fight.
Suddenly a figure landed next to her as he got up. It was Tosh.
"I hope I haven't missed anything," interjected Tosh as he pulled his lightsaber out and ignited his green blade.
"No, you will miss your life, though," answered Darth Avenger as the five figures moved closer to the two of them.
Fun and games were over. This was no longer training, but a real fight. It was do or die.
Avenger started the fight as her and one of the guys thrust at Leia who brought her lightsaber up and spun to block the two as they were forced to separate and surround her. The other two went after Tosh who instantly leaped above one and blocked his lightsaber with a vertical arc that switched into a horizontal swipe at the guy's midsection, but was instantly blocked by a red blade.
Leia backed off as the two figures came in front of her. Her silver blade pointed at them in a defensive stance. One of them went for a swipe at her midsection while the other thrust at her shoulder. Leia leaped above the swipe at her midsection, jumping to the right and blocking the jab as she brought Avenger's blade to the ground and kicked her in the gut as she flew back but did a back flip to land on the ground, unchanged. Leia took advantage of this split section as she brought her lightsaber in a sideways arc on the man as he was forced to block but she used the block to bounce her blade off and thrust at his knees. The man back away as he lost his footing and Leia used her blows to push him back against the wall. He tried to do a slash as her but Leia just used her vertical blade to block it before pushing him to the side as her blade hit the wall and left a mark.
Avenger immediately force jumped to attack Leia from behind but she spun in time to block the blow as she met it and hit Avenger's blade to the side and thrust at her. Avenger side stepped it as she attacked Leia's leg but Leia brought her lightsaber down in time to leap above the blade and do a half-turn and struck Avenger's blade back. Leia brought the blade up above her head as she once more clashed with the Dark Knight.
Meanwhile, the man leaped at her while she was fighting Avenger. She spun as she blocked both of their blades and brought them up and disengaged. The two attacked her again but she put her blade horizontal to block the two downward slashes and used his to do a backwards flip above them and did a sideways slash across their backs but the two instantly spun around to block the blade and she was forced in-between the two.
Leia backed up as she tried to figure out a way to stop them. They were extremely skilled in lightsaber combat, even if not as good as her, but together they were a great match for her. Leia looked back and forth between the two and tried to formulate a plan that Sim would use in this situation. She smiled as an idea popped into her head. It was risky but it could work.
Using the force, she picked the two up as she allowed her emotions to argument her powers and threw them against the wall, knocking Avenger harder than the man. While Avenger was knocked out temporarily, the man got up and hurled at Leia who casually pulled her blade into a twirl as it blocked the man's blade and brought her into an attack position. The tides had changed.
Leia jabbed at the man who used his blade and footing to deflect the shot but Leia continued the jab and forced him sideways as she did a large slash at his neck, which was blocked but only served as a distraction as she pulled her blade only a millisecond before contacting his blade and brought it down to his chest and instantly slashed him, easily knocking him out for the count, though, not killing him.
Leia turned back to Avenger who was getting up and was now more furious then before. She leaped madly at Leia as she used her amazing speed to attack the Jedi in rapid slashes and quips. Leia blocked each swipe, to the Dark Knight's frustration. She leaped around Leia as she tried to find an opening but each thrust was met with a horizontal and vertical block while each jab was hit to the side with great strength and left her venerable for a few seconds. She continued to her made Force-rampage as she quickly cornered Leia next to the wall and swiped at her but Leia just leaped above her and spun around midair to block another blow from Avenger. The two blades locked as the Dark Knight tried to kick Leia but she used this opportunity to disengage and move sideways. As Avenger missed she brought her blade up and destroyed her lightsaber hilt in her hand.
Avenger fell to the ground defeated with Leia's silver lightsaber at her neck.
Meanwhile, Tosh deflected the two red blades of the women and the man as he force-threw them into the wall. His emerald blade glowed brightly admits the dust. The two got up as they once more engaged the Jedi Master in a duel. They both thrust and jabbed at Tosh who merely brought his lightsaber up in a vertical stance, blocking the two before pushing them aside and coming in between them.
Using the Force, Tosh picked up one and launched him straight through the wall, knocking him out. The other instantly brought her lightsaber up as she tried to push Tosh back. Tosh began to give ground as he was cornered to the wall. He smiled and once more began his Form V stance as he brought his lightsaber up and the blades twirled as they turned into 20 blades. Each blow was blocked but the women were pushed back further and further. Finally she was cornered against a wall. She force-leaped above Tosh and before she could land, Tosh did a backwards leap and brought his blade down on her back, knocking her down.
Tosh deactivated his lightsaber as the women fell to the ground, temporarily immobilized. He stepped away as he force-called their lightsabers to his hand and clipped them to his belt. They would threaten any of them.
He walked up to Leia who had her blade up to the newly christened Darth Avenger's throat. Tosh could see that she was conflicting on whether to kill the Dark Knight or spare her life. He put his hand on her shoulder as he spoke to her,
"Leia, you must let her live," said Tosh, "It would not be the way of the Jedi to kill her."
"But master! She serves Vader, she will disclose our location," replied Leia as she edged her lightsaber closer to Avenger's neck. Avenger tried not to show her fear but the Force was saying otherwise.
"No! When Sim battled Vader on the Executor, do you know what happened? He bested the Sith Lord in combat but he didn't kill him because he was defenseless and that would not be the way of the Jedi," answered Tosh. Leia's eyes began to melt as they looked at Avenger and saw the fear within her. Suddenly something Sim told her long ago came to her mind, "The difference between a Sith and a Jedi is actually pretty simple. A Sith strikes fear while a Jedi gives compassion."
Leia pressed the red button on her lightsaber hilt as the blade retracted and she clipped her lightsaber along with Avenger and the other man's lightsaber to her belt. Tosh offered her smile to her as he patted her. She had done the right thing, was truly a Jedi like Anakin Skywalker was once.
Author's Note: PLEASE REVIEW! I thank those who have but still I would like to know how my story is progressing, if it is getting worse or better. What do you think of the plot so far? Any suggestions? I'm pretty open to ideas so please review even if it is bad. Thank You.