CHAPTER IV – VISIONS

Kei came back to the camp with thoughts racing. The usual sense of empowered confusion that accompanied him after meeting with Hara was replaced by a new resolve. She had been incredibly curious about Mina. Hara never showed interest in any other Force users unless they were directly involved in what she was teaching him.

He was surprised to find Mina awake and sitting next to the fire pit near their lodging. He slowed his walk and reached out calmly with the Force to get a grasp on how she was feeling. He felt absolutely nothing. He thought back to when he first met her the day before and how her spirit seemed like a shadow. It was then he realized why Hara had not sensed her and found her so interesting.

Mina's spirit rose from the shadows and returned to its regular place in the Force. She turned to look at Kei. "I had a vision" she said, speaking into Kei's mind. He sat down on a bench across from her almost without thinking. "I've had this vision many times before, but the figures in it were never clear to me until now." The sudden change in her tone and acceptance of him took him by surprise, but he went along with it. This moment felt right, almost too right.

Mina looked at him acceptingly before continuing the description of her vision. "The vision always starts with me walking alone into a large black space. I continue walking until another person joins me and we walk together into a circle of green flames." At this, Kei's brow furrowed and his spirit began to flutter. Mina continued, "This time though, I saw that it was you who was with me and among the green flames was a beautiful woman. I felt like we all knew each other. Like lovers or even family. When I realized it's been you this whole time, I couldn't sleep. I searched my feelings. This must be why Master Rey wanted to bring me here. Kei, where is this place?"

Kei didn't know what to think. This was all lining up too well. Once again, Hara knew something he didn't and had certainly foreseen all of this. He was on the right track. He did his best to conceal his true feelings before replying to Mina. He needed some more answers and personal meditation before he made a decision as to what to do with this connection. He needed to show some kind of control over the situation. "I don't know where it is, but we'll discover it together."

Lying didn't come natural to him. He was taught well by his family as well as Ahsoka to always be honest about his intentions and who he was, but this lie spilled forth so easily from his breath. Mina did not respond to this. She searched deep into Kei's feelings. He wasn't being completely honest with her. Why would he be though? They hadn't known each other very long and she had definitely not let him feel welcome to her friendship. She would have to wait and see how things played out.

Kei noticed her silence and firmly broke it with a question. "Is it true that Master Rey was once the heir of The Sith?" Mina immediately looked over at him when asked this and said. "Yes, it's true. I'm guessing Master Tano shared it with you. I noticed Master Skywalker intentionally left it out of the visions of the past that she and Master Tano shared with us the other night." Mina paused for a second and had to stop herself from smiling. She would use this opportunity to open up to Kei and she knew he would do the same in return. It was almost laid out too perfectly.

"Master Skywalker is the granddaughter of Darth Sidious, one of the most powerful Sith Lords who ever lived. She was destined to rule the galaxy on the Sith throne as Empress Palpatine, but she chose to change her destiny. She has many hidden powers and can call on the Jedi of the past. This is why her energy can be overwhelming to some. I sensed that you experienced this when you first met my master." Kei let himself chuckle briefly at this. He had completely forgotten how frustrated that power had made him.

Mina took his reaction as a good sign and continued, "I also had a dark destiny when Master Rey found me as a youngling. My family had been navigating life on our war-ravaged planet for decades. My grandmother fought as a Rebel pilot during the great Galactic Civil War and so did my parents…they were killed when I was younger." She briefly considered whether or not she should continue, but felt Kei's trust building with every word she spoke and she went on in a more dramatic fashion.

"I've never really trusted anyone other than Master Skywalker to tell this story to, but I feel I can share it with you. A group of Resistance spies kept me in their care. When I began to show signs of being able to touch the Force, I was isolated for my protection. As my power in the Force grew, my resentment for losing my parents also grew stronger and stronger. One day when my guardians returned from a long mission, I drew deep into my anger and pain and killed them all without remorse. Once of them had sent a distress signal to the Resistance and a group of them arrived with the intention to destroy me in secret. Master Skywalker was with them and showed me compassion. She didn't allow them to harm me and took me with her to her new Jedi academy. I'll never forget her forgiveness and the kinship I felt with her when she shared her original destiny with me. She always let me know that I'm in charge of my destiny regardless of the past. She taught me to hone my skills and how to use my passion to help others, that there was always hope regardless of where I stood in the darkness. It saved my soul."

Kei had not expected her to share all of this information with him so quickly, but then again, things tonight were lining up like a brightly lit path in front of him. He decided to follow with a brief story of his own. "Mina...I lost my parents to senseless violence too. My world was attacked by a group of raiders that wanted to strip our region for resources and sell them. I didn't know it back then, but I've come to realize that this planet's large concentration of Kyber was what they were after. I too grew with resentment, but just as it grew, Master Ahsoka found me as if it were destiny. She showed me compassion and taught me patience. She is very kind, wise and powerful."

"However, despite all of the knowledge she shared with me, I learned that she always kept things from me. Sometimes it was for my protection, other times it was to teach me to battle the resentment within myself. To use my emotions, but not be a slave to them, much like what you've learned from Master Rey."

They both smiled as they looked one another in the eyes. "I have a feeling they're going to make our training even tougher this week" said Kei. Mina nodded in agreement. Kei stood up and asked "You'll have to teach me your secret for how you move so fast in battle." She also stood up and smirked arrogantly, "sure, I'll show you. It's actually a trick I play on your mind. Yeah, I'm very fast, but I make you believe that I'm actually faster. It means your mind has many weaknesses!" They both laughed before saying "How about this, I'll teach you my speed technique if you show me how you create those invisible Force shockwaves." Kei returned her arrogant smirk with one of his own and said "You've got yourself a deal. It's actually a more aggressive version of an old mining technique my ancestors used to use to uncover sacred minerals. I don't think it will be hard for you to learn…unless the weaknesses in your mind don't allow it." They both laughed together again and sat back down in front of the fire.

Kei made the decision to wait until they began their isolated training to bring Mina before Hara. It was only a few more weeks away. He could wait. He had a feeling that Ahsoka had already begun to be suspicious about his new abilities and he did not want her to discover his secret. She knew something about him was different. Just as well, he did not want to believe that what he was doing was some sort of betrayal. After all, he owed Ahsoka his life. He truly did care for her beyond almost anything. But Hara was also his teacher…and more. What of Rey? She was also becoming a teacher to him. She was oblivious to all of this. Or was she? His feelings brought back the memory of the charred flute he had held in his hand earlier. He shook the thought from his mind and focused on the mission at hand. He would bring Mina before Hara. The sense of destiny was now clearer than anything he had felt in a very long time.

Mina felt proud of herself for the progress she was able to make in just mere hours. She cleared her thoughts. As proud as she felt, she mustn't let it cloud her judgment. She would keep going down the path that was so clearly laid out for her, but remain cautious. She was incredibly close to finding the answers she was looking for. Her thoughts also returned to the burnt flute and how it mirrored Kei's, but she took this as even more of a sign that he held the key to unlocking her destiny. She was in denial about whether or not they were to share that destiny or if he was merely a tool. Her feelings lead her to think of her master. So forgiving and so wise, she more than anyone else, understood what finding the answers to her destiny meant to Mina, but why then did she feel the need to still hide things from her. Had Master Skywalker foreseen all of it? It surely must be why she brought her to this far off planet. She let the thoughts drift away like clouds.

Despite their personal agendas, Mina and Kei genuinely felt comfort in the fact they had let each other in. Both students stared deeply into the flames as they reflected on their personal triumphs and fell deep into the Force in meditation.