Alright time to focus on studying!

*looks at blank page on Ipad and then at book filled with terms and equations*

*swivels head between the two*

Goddammit brain.

P.S. A lot of the teaching concepts Zhar says to Cal take inspiration from the Novelization of Revenge of The Sith in the scene where Mace Windu is battling Palpatine, the specialization classes in KOTOR 2, and references to Luke's (now un-cannon) Jedi Academy.

P.P.S. Ander Arias, Treachery is the way of the Sith. The dogma of the Rule of Two — created in order to avoid the infighting between the various factions of the sith — that the student will one day kill the master. Granted, Palpatine wasn't going to just roll over for Vader, but Palpatine took Vader with the express notion that Vader was going to kill and overthrow Palpatine (someday or until a stronger apprentice came along). They both knew it was going to happen and either Vader would fail, or succeed and kill Palpatine. Vader was constantly plotting Palpatine's death at his hands (Hell, in the EU of the lore, when Vader makes a crystal bleed, he reverts into Anakin for a moment and has a vision/hallucination in where he sees himself kill Palpatine with a green lightsaber and meets Obi-wan before becoming Vader again after Obi-wan says his name).

Special thanks to jojobinks01 for contributions and discussion! Special thanks to Ander Arias for constructive advice! Any questions you may have can be PM'd if you want to know more.

P.P.P.S. All credit to respective owners!

-Y.A.R.N.

Cal breathing picked up as his posture hunched, his eyed flicked under his eyelids as his mouth twisted into a focused frown. His hands on his lap clenched and unclenched even as the rest of his body remained hunter still and the force began to pulse within him.

Xavier crouched next to him, hand hovering over his shoulder uncertainly, "Should we wake him?"

"No!" Merrin said sharply, the force shouting in warning, "He will wake when ready, trying to wake him will cause him to react violently."

Cal had never quite understood the skill that came with being a master until just now, even after seeing Jaro Tapal in action against the clones were small flashes of skill he could admire and hopefully one day achieve. Even when it came to Vader, it was a short confrontation where he slashed with monstrous strength and punishing strokes that bore down on him like a meteor. Even Cere was beaten back — with one hand on Vader's part — despite having been a master (Cal had simply thought she may have been out of practice as he sparred with her constantly and found himself not exactly lacking). Cal had heard the stories of how the ancient jedi were so incredibly skilled with lightsabers in the few texts he had read in the temple.

Zhar was as relentless as Vader would have been in a drawn out fight, except his movements are lightning fast and his reflexes are insane.

His blade picked apart and tore through Cal's defense like it was little more than air, Cal constantly giving ground to try to gain some room to breathe. Another devastating part was Cal didn't feel too bad about his saber skills — something honed relentlessly for a year after his battle (which was really more of a get-the-hell-away flight) with Vader — and even then he could barely even attempt a strike (that would be blocked) through the flurries of attacks. And don't even get him started with trying to push the Master away. Just like with Vader and the apparition of Jaro Tapal on Dathomir, the master raised his hand and dissipated his slows and pushes with all the concern of brushing off a speck of dust. The worst part however, was the demonstrations of the mind trick Zhar was trying to teach Cal.

He could brush off the psychic probes poking at his head easily enough — Cere had made sure that he wouldn't fall prey to any mind-tricks on that level — but when he managed to keep them from penetrating his head, Zhar stepped it up to illusions. Constant illusionary feints had him twitching in the wrong direction as the ghost had him hearing the hum from several different directions and his blade and form blurring enough for Cal to be on the receiving end of a punishing counter if he was unable to distinguish between real and fake in time. The Force's multiple cries and nudging managed to keep him from being bisected or decapitated by a killing blow (though he wasn't sure he could die from a vision even if the lightsaber that the jedi used scorched his skin like a lightsaber). Calling on the force to dissipate the fakes helped, but took too much focus and Cal's defense suffered from his lack of attention.

He let out a gasp of pain as the lightsaber landed a scorch in his side thanks to another subtle illusion. Cal collapsed to his knees and the master regarded him as the blue lightsaber he was using hovered under Cal's chin.

"Better than I thought you would do." Zhar said conversationally as he lowered his saber to his side, "You have impressive instincts."

Cal glared at the master, a hand still gently rubbing the multiple nicks and burns on his torso, "How in the name of The Force is that better than you thought?"

"You didn't die immediately." Zhar said rather blandly.

Cal felt the urge to put his head in his hands.

"Your will must be unshakeable to impose it over someone and see through their illusions, even more-so if you are fighting a force-user." Zhar instructed, deactivating his blade, "You were too focused on your lightsaber over your usage of The Force; to dispelling and construct illusions, you must be able to fight without intervention of the mind. Immerse yourself in your battle as well as in the force to keep you safe and hone your blade while your mind looks through the force for weaknesses and the tricks in your foe. A true jedi master will use the blade with the skill of a battle-master while using the force with the skill of a consular."

Cal nodded and closed his eyes, centering himself and getting up and igniting his blade, "Again."

Zhar was impassive, "Do you think you can disperse the illusions and defeat me now?"

"Honestly?" Cal replied, looking down at the saber clenched in his hand, "No. I have a long long way to go, but if I stop and retreat after every failure, I never get far."

A ghostly chuckled echoed through the room, "Good. Keep failing, keep getting back up. That is the only way to succeed. Don't allow yourself to be weighed down by ego and pretense. Let go of what you fear to lose and rise up."

Cal started and looking around wildly, hope and tremulous joy in his eyes, "Master?!"

Zhar cracked a smile, his saber once again blazing to life, "Your master taught you well. Come young jedi, again!"

Cal couldn't help the smile on his face as he relit his lightsaber, his master was with him, he always was.

They held their sabers in front of them in classic dueling etiquette before they both swung their blades which connected with a loud crackle.

When Cal finally opened his eyes, he was surprised to see Merrin was sitting in her own version of meditation, the talisman she carried with her glowing green with fire. Xavier was holding Merrin's lightsaber, eyes tracing the metal with nostalgia radiating off of him. Cal observed the way Xavier eyes traced the hilt, thumb hovering over the activation switch as though wishing to turn it on.

"Xavier?" He called gently.

Xavier jolted and dropped the lightsaber like it burned him, BD-1 trilled in excitement as Cal spoke, and Merrin was startled out of her meditation at the sound of the lightsaber hitting the ground and BD-1's excited beeping. She turned and saw the lightsaber at Xavier's feet and him looking away at the evening sky as though it was the most interesting thing he had ever seen. She sighed softly and stretched out with her hand, the hilt rattled and slowly began to slide across the floor towards Merrin.

Cal blinked, it seemed Merrin had been practicing in her spare time.

Cal got out of his meditative kneel and watched with amusement as the hilt skittered across the floor — and while not constant in speed or trajectory, it was still working — only to stop at her feet, trembling as though an mild earthquake was shaking the ground around it. Merrin frowned as she stooped down to pick up the hilt and stared at it, frustrated at her inability to raise it to her hand.

"Having trouble with Force abilities?" Cal inquired softly as he walked over to the annoyed night-sister.

Merrin sighed and her shoulders slumped, "I am much more comfortable with my magic, but I suppose that is a matter of having trained with them since I was a child."

Cal laid a hand on her shoulder, "You're doing better than I did. Just give it time, the more you practice, the better you'll get. You've been training is only a fraction of the normal amount and even then I was studying basic saber stances, and hadn't quite touched on force-abilities. You're amazing for how little training you've got."

Merrin smiled at Cal, "And we'll grow stronger?"

Cal grinned "Together."

Cal idly stirred the contents of his food as he thought back to the conversation with Master Lestin. Maybe he had come off as rude, but if anything, Master Lestin seemed to approve of Cal's fire. The ghost didn't have to train him, but did anyway. Cal was sure that Zhar could booted him right out of the vision if he so desired.

And Jaro Tapal...

Cal had put his master's ghost to rest on Dathomir. He would honor his teachings and always love the man as a father and mentor, but would never let the death of the jedi haunt him again or blame himself again. Maybe Cal had been too weak (or guilty) before to garner a reaction from his master's ghost or presence, but hearing him had been wonderful. No guilt, no shame, none of the self-blame and loathing Cal felt towards himself in the numb and empty years on Bracca. He had dreams back then of the Order miraculously alive and well, sending someone to find him. Of Jaro Tapal alive again and teaching him; guiding him to become a knight. And his eyes would be leaking tears as his chest would ache with the agonizing loss of everything he had when he woke up.

Prauf had been nothing less than a gift in those dark times. Never probing, always there to lean on and worry about him while Cal desperately tried to bury himself into scrapping so he couldn't think. Prauf had always loved teaching Cal all the tricks of scrapping to distract him from the pain and misery he had all been but screaming since landing. He was probably the kindest of the scrappers to look after a lost-looking thirteen year old and taking him under his wing. He might of pitched himself into the small funeral fire he had lit for his master if he hadn't known that if he did that, Jaro Tapal would beat the afterlife out of him.

God he wished Prauf hadn't been so stupidly brave in calling out the Empire in front of the inquisitors.

But things were different now.

For all that Cal has only become a jedi knight, his journey for the holocron granted him wisdom. His various battles he had fought had given him skill. And landing on Dantooine had given him perspective (with a hint of peace). And in a way, Cal would always thank Prauf for forcing him to confront the pain he had ran from and frankly come to terms with it. He had become stronger for the strife and now he had a purpose beyond run and hide. When he finally gained all the knowledge he could, he could confront the Empire. He'd rebuild the jedi and this time he wouldn't perpetuate the past.

Cere nudged his shoulder and he turned, "Yeah?"

"So you seem to be in a good mood." She commented.

Cal sighed, a wistful smile tilting his lips, "Just thinking of good times and good people."

Cere smiled, "That's good. You seem happier lately, it's good to see."

Cal speared some meat on his utensil and popped it in his mouth, chewing thoughtfully before replying, "Going to the temple, learning? It's a lot like when I was with Master Tapal. The Empire is still out there, but here? It seems so far away and it sometimes feels like I could stay here forever."

Cere sighed sadly at this, "It won't alway be like this."

Cal smirked, "I know. Inevitably The Force will put us on the path towards the fate. I wasn't ready before — I kept on trying to shut out the rest of the galaxy — but now I know to accept whatever The Force brings. I won't run from what I am meant to be any longer. I am a jedi, no matter what."

Greeze voice called out, "Well, you'd be much more impressive without the food stains on your lips mister 'I am a jedi'."

Cal blinks and began to rub at his mouth with his wrist while Cere laughed.

"Hey Xavier." Cal called as the clone was about to leave.

He had been watching Merrin and Cal spar again as Cere was meditating in a kneeling position. The day was winding down and Xavier had seen them all begin to prepare to get some rest when Cal approached him.

"What is it?" The clone replied.

"Catch." Cal said as lobbed the item at Xavier.

Xavier caught it and stared at the item in his hand.

It was a lightsaber hilt exactly like Merrin's. His hands shook as he realized what Cal gave him.

A lightsaber of his own.

"What...?" His gaze switched from Cal to the lightsaber in his hand, "How do you have another lightsaber?"

Cal shrugged, "The fallen jedi who we took those from was a Jar'kai practitioner. He had two lightsabers and we had been keeping this one in case Merrin wanted to use it."

"Why are you giving it to me?" Xavier demanded, his voice shaking.

"I just figured you'd be better at safe-keeping it than leaving it lying around our ship." Cal replied, eyes bright and grin mischievous, "Maybe the next time Merrin and I are sparring, you could join in? I think Merrin would appreciate a sparring partner more on her level."

Xavier swallowed heavily at this before nodding slowly and clipping the weapon to his belt, "I see... Um... thanks."

"Hey Merrin." Cere called after the night sister before they retired for the night.

"Yes?" A sense of trepidation wormed into the night-sister's gut.

"You should try to meditate at the temple when you get there."

Merrin paused and turned to the Jedi Master, "I can't."

"Why not?" Cere replied.

"When Cal first mediated at the temple," Merrin said softly, "That version of himself he saw left him doubting himself. He's moved past it but I don't know if I would be able to. I have so many regrets and pain."

"All the more reason to try." Cal said, stepping into the ship as he finished hand Xavier a lightsaber, "I saw what I could be if my darkness takes over. I saw what it would turn me into and that's why I am all the more determined to stay in the light. I saw the darkness, Cere used it. We both have the capacity to look into the dark despite standing in the light. The jedi would have never allowed it, but if they actually looked and saw they may have been able to avoid the Purge."

Cere looked at him, "Cal... The dark side is dangerous! I don't want you to understand it!"

Cal shook his head, "There's a difference between understanding in regards to seeing and understanding in regards to use! I don't want to use it, but if I don't know how it works, I wouldn't be able to identify and stop it! The Sith hid in the shadow of the jedi, The Emperor was on Coruscant the entire time and no one could see it!"

Cere was silent, frowning as she considered that.

Cal didn't blame her for her adamant refusal to have anything to do with the dark side. She had lost so much to the dark that she wanted to reject everything about it.

Cal knew he wasn't going to win this argument, so he stopped himself from talking.

But The Force in him sang contentedly, he knew that he was onto something, he just needed to find the right path.

Zhar shifted away from a slash and riposted with a sharp jab that Cal batted away with the other blade of his lightsaber before moving in to swipe at the master's waist. Zhar danced out of range and Cal followed, eyes narrowed and lips pursed in concentration. In a moment of inspiration, he dug his lightsaber into the floor and swiped upwards, sending slag and molten bits of floor towards the Master's face. The Master waved his hand and the debris parted around the master and his the floor with a light sizzle. Cal rushed in with an overhand strike that crashed against Zhar's lightsaber in a loud crackle while instinctively tilting to the side to avoid a thrust that would have carved into his ribs.

'Another illusion!' Cal growled in his head.

He was now working on simply identifying the illusions, deciding that dispelling them mid combat was still a bit too far out of his skill level at the moment. Instead, he would double down on his focus and place more into blocking the strikes that resonated in the force with danger. Illusions would pass through him harmlessly, but he kept expecting them to hurt. In lieu of that, the force kept nudging him and constantly warning him to avoid multiple attacks that weren't even there. Now, he directed the force only to warn him of what would actually hurt him, not the several illusions that had him on a constant defense. Zhar had chuckled at Cal's explanation, but allowed for the knight to use this with a clear air of approval.

It was the point of the exercise after all.

It hadn't suddenly closed the gap in saber-skills between the two but allowed for Cal to actually strike more frequently with what small gaps the crafted illusions provided. Cal was now incorporating heavy-handed Jar'Kai guard breaks and swift double saber spins into his style, pressing his offense when he could before dancing away with his double-saber augmenting his defense. Zhar inwardly nodded in approval, even with his minor application in how he wanted the force to direct him was the first step in battle-mastery. With a body, Zhar would've only been able to manage small illusions even at the height of his powers, but years as one with the force had taught him much and allowed him to have control of the vision the knight was in. The illusions crafted were never meant to be dispelled, simply noticed and ignored.

In a battle for a jedi's life, said jedi needed to block out everything that would distract him but the moment of the fight and the force. While the young knight still relied on his eyes to make judgments, he was slowly letting the force guide him more and more, soon he would be able to start fighting while blinded.

The Haxion Brood's best and last hunter stared at the unassuming farmland planet from space, fingers interlocked.

"Such a backwater planet... Truly an amazing hiding spot, Kestis..." He chuckled.

It was pure luck that he had actually stumbled across the bounty as he had been in the sector when he picked up on the planet's rudimentary communications about a jedi. Even though they were quickly squashed and censored, Jek Whrom knew what he saw.

It could only be Cal Kestis, practically every other jedi was dead.

With the bounty from both the Empire and the Sorc Tomo, he would be set for several lifetimes.

And get revenge for the decimation of his syndicate. He got up and walked to his trophy room, staring at the various trinkets he had taken from his many bounties. As he walked by the trophies he walked up to a body-sized box that was encased in metal. As he typed in a code onto the side of the panel, the metal slid up to reveal his armor behind a glass pane. ran his hand over the glass and gently slid the transparisteel glass aside to pick up his suit.

Finally he armed himself with flame-thrower gauntlets, thermal detonators, flash-bangs, a jetpack, and finally the specialized weapon he carried for jedi.

A felucian skull-blade.