Chapter 10
Death of a Friend, Part II
A small woodland creature scurried up the side of one of the curvilinear trees and joined a small group of the same kinds of creature. At the base of that tree, a slightly larger animal stared up at the high branches where its quarry had retreated. A brief snort later, the predator stalked away.
The wind picked up at that moment and the entire forest came alive. To the naked eye the event might have been invisible. To one not attuned to the currents of the Force, the fact that every creature in the woods was purposely moving away from…something…would have gone unnoticed.
To one connected to the Force, a sensation akin to absolute dread took hold.
Qui-Lek opened his eyes with a start and steered his gaze into the distant trees.
Nothing.
Opening his perceptions to the Force, Qui-Lek searched the woodland for some sign of the source of the disturbance.
Nothing.
Deceive you, your eyes can. Trust them, you should not. The head of the Jedi Order smiled as the memory of Yoda's advice during his very first lightsaber training session came unbidden to his mind.
Closing his eyes, Qui-Lek inhaled deeply, visualizing the currents of the Force flowing into him. Almost immediately the creatures' movements became clear. Whatever they were scurrying away from was moving through the forest. Fast. Towards him.
Qui-Lek squared himself and stood ready.
Extending his feelings toward the center of the disturbance, he tried to scrutinize it in the Force.
Nothing.
Qui-Lek's breath caught in his throat.
Was this the void that Yoda had spoken of?
Inexorably, the disturbance closed the distance between them.
Qui-Lek's lightsaber hilt found his waiting hand.
Staring at the point in the woods from where he knew the disturbance would emerge, Qui-Lek tried to prepare himself.
The hair on his arms suddenly stood straight.
The quiet hum of his igniting blade broke the silence.
Suddenly two trees uprooted themselves and hurtled toward him at astonishing speed.
Qui-Lek leaped over them both, angling his blade down toward the unknown attacker.
As the creature came into view, the Jedi Master felt his stomach lurch.
Yoda's fierce eyes peered up at him across an ignited crimson blade.
Kaine's eyes widened in disbelief.
Amazing.
Remembering himself, Kaine forced himself to start breathing again and pulled the cold blanket of the dark side around him. Convinced he was not detectible, The Dark Lord slid among the trees, closing in on Yoda and Qui-Lek.
Qui-Lek. Now there, was a pleasant surprise. The head of the Jedi Council definitely could hold his own. If anyone could fight Yoda and survive, it was Qui-Lek. The tide of this battle could change everything.
The Force was a maelstrom between the combatants, roiling and lurching. The air seemed to respond as a powerful gust of wind tore at their robes. Kaine focused his attention on the silent battle that waged between them as he slid into the shadows of a large tree a few meters away.
"What is the meaning of this, Yoda?" Qui-Lek broke the silence, centered, ready.
Yoda's eyes seemed to lose focus for a brief moment. A ripple in the Force emanated from the diminutive Jedi and he lowered his head, closing his eyes. Qui-Lek peered intensely at Yoda through the Force, trying to discern…something—anything. Yoda remained an inscrutable void.
After an eternity, Yoda's blade wavered slightly as he sighed. "Wish to destroy you, I do not."
A knot twisted in Qui-Lek's stomach. He drew his brow tight in confusion. He found he had to yell above the din created by the sudden, interminable wind. "What are you talking about? Destroy me? We are friends, Yoda! What has happened? Why are you closed off from me?"
Yoda opened his eyes, but stared only at the ground. "Leave, you must."
Qui-Lek straightened and angled his lightsaber lower. His voice dropped an octave but lost none of its intensity. "Not without you."
An intense wave of energy suddenly broke through the shroud of darkness that surrounded the Migru Master. It carried…a feeling…a…plea?
"Let me help you, Yoda."
"Leave."
"No."
Yoda's gaze remained firmly on that single spot between them. It dawned on Qui-Lek that it was not a spot at all—it was a line. A line that he most assuredly must not cross.
The dark side.
No. He would not accept it.
"Yoda. The Council will help you….I will help you."
Finally Yoda lifted his head and their eyes met. The brief emotional connection between them was gone. He was invisible in the Force. In his eyes, Qui-Lek could perceive nothing.
At length, Yoda spoke again. In his voice, Qui-Lek heard only steely resolve. "Leave. Now!"
The knot in Qui-Lek's stomach twisted tighter. "You know I cannot do that, Yoda."
Yoda nodded.
"You can end this now, Yoda."
"Yes, I can." Yoda brought his blade up and to his side. "Sorry, I am, Qui-Lek. But die, you must."
The Force swirled around Qui-Lek, bathing him in invisible light.
Qui-Lek smiled.
"If that is my destiny."
Yoda leapt across his invisible line.
Kaine smiled.
In an instant, Yoda's tightly held personal shielding exploded into bright red flames.
The attack was relentless. Yoda leaped and bounced, slashing away at Qui-Lek's defenses. The Jedi Master was barely able to intercept one attack before another blow battered at him with equal power from a completely new direction.
Yoda's power seemed to be growing by the second.
The potency of the focus between the warriors surprised and delighted the Dark Lord. The air crackled with power. The Jedi would fight to the end, without question.
Somehow, despite the intensity of Yoda's barrage, the Jedi did not falter. The energy that surrounded him seemed to strengthen with each blow; he seemed to be in complete control.
Kaine could see no fear in him—only resolve.
Qui-Lek blinked the sweat out of his eyes just as another strike reverberated against his blade.
There is no emotion; there is peace.
Qui-Lek pushed hard against Yoda's surprisingly powerful strength.
The Migru Master sailed gracefully backwards and landed lightly on the ground only meters away.
"Yoda…please. Don't do this."
The corners of Yoda's mouth drew downward. Sad. Almost…regretful?
Yoda's voice broke and was barely audible above the wind. "Protect my home, I must."
"The Jedi are your home!"
Yoda's eyes moistened. He dropped his head. "Not any more."
A whisper in the Force. Qui-Lek leapt aside and barely avoided an uprooted tree from impaling him. Resigned, he tightened his grip on his lightsaber hilt and rushed at his friend.
There is no ignorance; there is knowledge.
Qui-Lek breathed heavily as he slipped more deeply into the Force, channeling the energy of the Light into every part of his being. His muscles burned. He pushed the pain aside and extended his senses beyond the confines of the battle.
Another void?
Knitting his brow, Qui-Lek glanced toward the emptiness but saw nothing.
In that instant, Yoda planted both his feet into Qui-Lek's midsection in a powerful leaping kick. Qui-Lek's breath left him; he folded around the point of impact as his knees gave way. It was only a desperate heaving of his sword above his head that prevented Yoda's blade from slashing through his back as the migru jumped away.
Drawing a grateful breath into his burning lungs, Qui-Lek pushed off the ground with the Force a split second before Yoda landed a mighty, downward strike. Yoda's blade seared into the soft dirt, and the smell of scorched earth assailed Qui-Lek's nose.
The distance Qui-Lek had put between them offered a welcome respite and the Jedi Master lowered his blade.
Steadying his breathing, Qui-Lek desperately searched the Force for any sign of light.
A tiny sliver called out. Understanding dawned.
"Yoda." Qui-Lek could hear the desperation in his own voice. He ignored it. "Migruna will only be safe if you turn away from this darkness!"
If Yoda heard him through his haze of rage, Qui-Lek could not tell. Yoda's only response was to grasp his lightsaber tightly with his other hand. In an instant, Yoda was sailing through the air toward him.
Qui-Lek nodded.
There is no passion; there is serenity.
The strength behind Yoda's attacks was growing, while Qui-Lek could feel his own strength slipping with each deflected blow. If he allowed this to continue, Yoda would wear him down. He decided to go on the offensive.
Gathering the Force to him, Qui-Lek pushed hard. The effect was immediate and unexpected. Yoda hurtled into a nearby tree, dropping his lightsaber as he slipped to the ground.
Qui-Lek crossed the distance in an instant, raising his blade above his head for the kill.
Qui-Lek froze.
Light?
He turned for an instant toward the source and found a tiny migru boy, small even for his species. On his face was a look of utter dismay. He glanced toward Yoda and his eyes widened more.
A warning exploded in the Force.
Qui-Lek's eyes caught a glint from the red blade as it burned through his chest.
He glanced down at Yoda's lightsaber hilt as it jutted out of his body. He hardly noticed when his knees gave way causing him to crash hard against the ground. Before the boy's gaze slid from his view, he forced himself to smile.
An earsplitting, agonizing scream tore through the forest. Only distantly did Qui-Lek realize that it came from the youngling.
As he lay on his side, Qui-Lek's entire field of view filled with the forest floor. The boy's anguish resonated in the Force like a beacon of light. Compassion washed over the dying Jedi Master and he soaked it in.
There is no death; there is the Force.
