I sat up suddenly, and Jysella fell off my chest and kind of slid to the floor. I heard her exclamation of pain as she hit the floor, and could feel that pain through our force bond. It just feed my fear and confusion. I pushed out with the Force, throwing my will behind the abilities of a Skywalker, and their ability to destroy. The walls facing the hallway and the other rooms cracked, but did not buckle. The wall with the window to the outside flew out and crashed to the ground.
Like I said, I woke badly.
By this time, Jysella was on the bed again, holding me, comforting me and calming me. I could feel the calm and peace she was sending to me over our Force Bond, and slowly the cloud of fear and confusion lifted.
Slowly my breathing and racing heartbeat returned to normal, and I sagged into Jysella's embrace.
Just in time for a couple of healers to rush into the room to see what the commotion was all about.
Of course, what I am most thankful for on that particular day is the fact that I did not smash Jys against the wall in my confusion. I am not sure what would have happened to me if I had done that, especially after the visions provided by Anakin. For that lesson was not lost on m. Without her, I would have fallen the night Jaina was blinded.
Once more I was released from the med center. Truthfully, I was beginning to wonder if those guys were getting sick of me. Especially since that was the second room that I had destroyed.
We all returned home and that night I slept without any dreams, or at least none that I remembered. Oddly, I felt alone when I woke, like something was missing.
I felt Jysella through our Force Bond, as she requested that I meet her for first meal, as she had some early lessons to attend. I was quite happy to spend the time with her.
After the meal, I asked her if she wanted me to walk her to her class. Her smile was all the yes I needed.
As we walked towards the Jedi temple, the sound of lightsabers increased in volume. Frowning, I asked, "I wonder who's practicing outside today?"
As we rounded the corner I got my answer.
There was one of the dark ones, plus the Omwati Jedi Tiu Zax locked in combat. With a flick of the wrist, the dark one took Tiu's arm off right above the elbow. Her scream rang in my ears, as I ignited my saber and charged.
As I fought the dark one, I could feel Jysella helping Tiu, and sent along our Force Bond asking that she get help.
My frustration at the fight began to grow. My opponent kept switching lightsaber styles. Keeping me off balance and reactive. Then with a flick of the hand, I was sent flying backwards as an unexpected Force push hit me in the chest.
I stood up, and saw the dark one running towards the woods.
Saying a few of those Correllian words, I took off in chase.
As I neared the woods, I heard Jysella scream out "Ben wait!"
Then I plunged into the woods.
I could feel Jysella's fears through our bond, and I sent her reassurance back through it. I was this close to one of the dark ones; it was not going to escape me.
I ran, the dark one always just a flash in the distance as I followed it.
I used the Force to work my muscles, keep them from tiring, but I still started to get a stitch in my side.
Finally I had to stop.
I looked around the clearing I was in, a strange sense of foreboding falling over me. Even though I had never been in this part of the woods before, I could not help but feel I had visited this place. Even the cry of the whorling as it flew overhead added to that sense of familiarity.
I looked around my surroundings, stretching out with the Force that was how I found it at first. There was a bubble in the Force. I could just make out the ysalamiri hanging on the trees.
And then I saw the cage, just as it had been in my dreams. Tahiri's ragged form was there, hanging limp, wearing the dirty, ragged remains of the clothes I had last seen her in. Clothes so worn and torn, they did not truly cover her. Her hair dirty and mud crusted. It appeared the only thing that kept her upright was the fact that the cage was not wide enough for her to move, and she was manacled into place. She was incredibly thin, looking as she had been on starvation staples since her disappearance. The final thing I noticed, were the cuts. She had a number of them, on her arms, legs and chest. Some still oozing, others colored the bright red of infection.
I cut the ysalamiri in half, and slowly I walked up to her. She lifted her head, and looked at me, but did not see me. The utter hopelessness found within those eyes hurt. I saw her lips moving, as she whispered "nojay" over and over again.
I whispered "Tahiri" and she cringed from the sound of my voice, and I had to wonder what happened to her that could make a Jedi that frightened.
Jysella then ran into the clearing as well, she was breathing heavy, and I heard her gasp as she saw Tahiri hanging in the cage.
I cut open the cage and manacles, and she fell out onto me, the remains of her clothes basically disintegrating. I sat her on the ground and put my robe around her, as she started to shiver and shake. Absently, I noticed she was still wearing the Japor icon.
Jysella knelt beside her, and started trying to heal her, as I fished out my comm and started to call my dad.
From the far side of the clearing, I heard a rustle. As I watched where I had heard the sound come from, Lowbacca and Tesar came strolling out.
When they saw Tahiri, Lowbacca roared a wookie challenge and Tesar said "Jacenzz whelp"
Then both ignited their sabers.
I tossed Jysella my comm and told her to get a hold of my parents, and I ignited my saber. I smirked at Tesar. "What happened to your tail Tesar? It's just a little stump nowadays. You'll have a lot of growing up to do, if you ever want to be a longtail."
That bit of taunting was all that was needed. Tesar's predator instincts took over, and he rushed and attacked. I set myself to receive and defend, and Tesar jumped towards me. As he flew at me, he started sissing.
He landed and struck with a powerful overhand blow. I used my blade to knock it slightly off course, allowing me to sneak into the first ring of defense, and send my elbow flying into Tesar's jaw, breaking it and knocking out two of his teeth.
He stopped sissing.
Feeling a tingle in the Force, I side stepped as Lowbacca's orange saber sliced through the air where I had just been standing. I flipped over him, landing so that I now faced them both rather than stood between them.
As we circled one another, our blades pointed to the fulcrum of our circle, I looked pointedly at Tesar and asked "Why would you kill your own mother that way?"
His eyes harden into tiny bits of flint, and I was given just a second's warning in the Force as he attacked once more. But that second was all the time I need. I set myself into a defensive posture as Tesar rushed me. His attacks were wild, his blows wide. I easily sneaked inside of his range and supplied another elbow to his face, cracking the other side of his jaw.
Then I twisted my saber around, and stabbed down, cutting into his leg. Before I could continue the cut enough to remove it, I had to roll as Lowbacca's blade swung through where I had been standing. I jumped up and tried to kick him in the side, but his longer arms allowed him to land a blow against me. I flew and smashed against a tree, and felt a rib crack.
I got up, and Tesar was there once again, coming in at a run, close to the ground. He lifted himself up, cutting upwards with his blade; I used my own to deflect it away from me, which overbalanced Tesar. I then stomped down on his arm.
I felt a dark satisfaction when I heard his arm snap.
Then I had to roll, as Lowbacca was once more swinging his saber. I stood and swung at Lowbacca with a quick one-two slash, which scored him across the chest and muzzle. He howled in pain, and again, that dark satisfaction bubbled within me.
Once again, we began to circling one another. I was beginning to tire, but these two appeared full of energy and ready to keep at it. I knew barabel's could continue going long after injuries that would drop a lesser species, and the same applied to wookies.
For the first time, I wondered if I would actually live through this fight.
Fortunately, I did not have time to think about it, as Lowbacca once more rushed into range, swinging his blade fast and furiously. I parried, and tried to counter attack, but Lowbacca fell back, and Tesar came at me from the side. I swung my arm up, used the Force to send him flying into the woods. I sensed his frustration as he started running back to the clearing.
I turned my attention to Lowbacca again, and darted in, I tried to get in and out of his reach fast enough so he could not seriously hurt me. Yet I was unable to do so.
All too soon, Tesar was once more there, swinging his blade, when he thought I would fail to notice his approach. I flipped over him, and landed on his shoulders, driving him to the ground. I swung at his head, but was only able to score it, as I had to jump away to keep Lowbacca's blade from bisecting me.
I rolled away, and Lowbacca came on. He attacked with a low-high-low number. I parried, ducked and then jumped at Lowbacca. I slammed my fist into Lowbacca's throat, in an attempt to crush his wind pipe. He backpedaled, and I failed to supply enough force, but I could hear him gurgling, attempting to catch his breath.
Then I felt something slam into my back, which knocked me down. I rolled with the impact and barely managed to not end up gasping for breath myself. I stopped the roll on my back, and threw up my blade as Tesar's came smashing down.
I kicked out at Tesar's knees, but he just danced out of the way, and tried to take off my foot.
I pulled it back, and did a back flip to get into a standing position, as Tesar once more walked towards me, his blade held at a low ready. I raised mine to a high ready and we started to circle.
I could feel my frustration, and my weariness. I knew the limits of my endurance were coming up soon, but still I fought on.
Tesar lunged for me, and I was able to once more dodge, but this time I landed a good blow, stabbing him through the stomach.
Again, that dark satisfaction filled me as Tesar doubled over from the pain.
In the back of my mind, I could feel the Dark Side offering me the power to destroy them quickly and efficiently.
I wanted to accept.
Tesar stood straight once more. I began to despair.
I attacked hard and fast, alternating my blows to the right and left.
I struck to the left and said "I."
I struck to the right. "Hate."
I feinted left, but swung my saber laterally at neck height. "Lizards."
Again that dark satisfaction filled me as I watched Tesar's head land a couple hand spans away from his body.
I was wearied though, and I sagged, exhaling heavily and sinking to my knees.
Then I was picked up and hurled across the clearing, slamming into a tree, hearing one more of my ribs snap. I heard a scream, belatedly realizing that it was from me.
I struggled to stand, my breath coming in ragged gasps. My broken ribs hurt with every movement.
I coughed and could taste blood.
I looked at Lowbacca and said "You have no honor."
Lowbacca roared and charged.
I side stepped and sliced off his sword arm, which served to only enrage him more.
Finally my reflexes were just too slow to evade his reach any longer. Lowbacca back handed me, I was once more flung against a tree. This time though a pointed stub of a tree branch stabbed through my shoulder, causing me to drop my blade and scream out in pain.
I could see his feral grin as he walked up to me and raised his blade to deliver a killing stroke.
I closed my eyes and prepared myself for death.