Hey, everybody. Back with another chapter.
Let's get to it.
Chapter 55- Story of Mortis
Ben clambers up the side of the outer wall around the outside of the monastery. Turning around, he reaches down the side of the wall and reaches out to help Rey up. Rey grabs his hand and allows Ben to pull her up to the top of the wall.
The two look up at the towering monastery before them. "This place looks like it's been abandoned longer than 50 years," Rey mutters.
"Remember what Master Qui Gon said. This place is beyond time and space. I have a feeling time doesn't pass normally on this world," Ben replies.
"So when we leave, it could've been day or months?" Rey asks.
"Or minutes. We don't know for certain. It's important that we focus on our mission here. We can't afford to let such concerns occupy our attention," Ben says.
Rey nods in response. Ben then starts moving towards the entrance into the monastery.
As they enter the monastery, Ben and Rey feel something. The best way they can describe it is as being an aura of sadness and loss. Both of them look at each other. "Something happened here," Ben mutters.
"I agree. Something tragic," Rey adds.
The two continue moving silently into the monastery. Soo enough, they come to a large grand staircase leading up to a higher floor. Without a word, they begin to ascend the staircase, feeling the Force guiding them. As they ascend the steps, the aura they can feel only grows stronger. Both of them look at each, wary, but neither speaks.
Finally, they reach the upper floor, and finds themselves in a large open space, the floor made of what looks like obsidian and decorated with star patterns. They slow their pace a little, and soon notice something lying in the middle of the chamber. They exchange a wary glance and make their way forward.
As the pair reach the center of the chamber, they realize to their surprise that what they had seen is a body, with a second set of empty robes and a headdress resting a few feet from the body. Rey stays a few steps away as Ben walks up to the body and bends down gently. As he turns the body over, they realize it is a humanoid male. He has no hair, but instead two red stripes along the top of his head, whether from natural skin color, a tattoo, or makeup they cannot tell. The similar color fills his eye sockets and runs down in lines from eyes down to his chin. His skin is also very pale. The body is cold to the touch, but seems not to have any real signs of decay.
Ben continues to look down at the body, then looks over at the robes lying a few feet from it. As he does, he sees a massive dagger resting on the floor.
"What is this?" Ben mutters.
"What is left of a tragedy."
Ben springs back to his feet, and he and Rey whip around. Then, looking back the way they came, they see another Force ghost walking towards them. Dressed in long flowing Jedi robes, with white hair and a short white beard. It only takes Ben a second to recognize the man. The man he was named after.
"Master Kenobi," Ben says, bowing even more than usual in respect to the old Jedi Master. Rey follows his example and bows to Kenobi's spirit.
Obi-Wan smiles slightly as he looks at the two. "Young Ben. Young Rey. At last, we meet," he says. He pauses for a moment, then continues, "You have both come far. Young Ben, you have truly grown into the potential of your bloodline. You have become a great Jedi. And young Rey, you have grown so much in such a short time. You are growing into a true Jedi."
Ben straightens up and looks into the eyes of the old Jedi Master. "Master, I know from what my parents have said that you came here to Mortis with my grandfather and Master Tano. And I guess you're the one Master Qui Gon referred to earlier. What happened here?"
Obi-Wan slowly walks over to the two, staring down at the body and the empty robes. "A tragedy, which very nearly brought great imbalance to the Force and the galaxy," he muses aloud.
"Is this…one of the Ones that Master Qui Gon spoke of?" Rey asks aloud, looking down at the body.
"Yes," Obi-Wan says. He then looks at Ben and Rey and says, "Walk with me, and I will tell you the story of what happened when I came to Mortis."
The ghost of Obi-Wan slowly begins walking away, heading towards the stairs. Ben and Rey slowly follow Obi-Wan, wondering what he's about to share with them.
"To understand what happened to us when we came here, you must know some things about the Ones. I still do not know what species they were, but they were all but immortal, and possessed power in the Force you could not fathom," Obi-Wan begins. He pauses before saying, "However, after uncounted tens of thousands of years, the Father began to age, and he knew that eventually, he would die. The Father feared what would happen should he die, and nobody be left to contain his children."
Obi-Wan pauses, still walking, before he says, "The Son was the embodiment of the dark side, and the Daughter the embodiment of the light. Left unchecked, their conflict would eventually bring imbalance to the universe and cause terrible damage to reality. Only here, under the power and watch of the Father, could they be contained. But with his life fading, the Father sought a solution."
Obi-Wan now stops in place, standing partway down the staircase. He then turns to look at Ben and says, "And that is when he learned of something. He learned that the Chosen One had been found. Your grandfather, Anakin. And in that rumor, the Father thought he had found the solution. He believed that if he could bring Anakin here, and if Anakin was the Chosen One, then Anakin could take his place to keep balance between the Daughter and the Son."
"So, you somehow found your way here to Mortis. And the Father confirmed his suspicion," Ben surmises.
"Yes, Ben. The Father had his children abduct me and Ahsoka, and told Anakin they would kill us if he did not restrain them. Anakin was able to tap deep into his strength in the Force, and summoned the strength he needed, and he was able to restrain the Son and Daughter and force them to their knees before him. However, Anakin declined to accept the Father's request to remain on Mortis," Obi-Wan says.
"Why did he reject it?" Rey asks.
"Anakin could not bear to leave behind the wider galaxy, and especially his wife. He had too much to leave behind if he stayed here. However, things would not be so simple," Obi-Wan says, sadness entering his voice.
"What happened?" Ben asks.
Obi-Wan is quiet for a moment before he responds. "The Son had other ideas. Our coming here awakened something in him. A deep sated desire to leave this place and unleash his strength upon the galaxy to dominate, and finally escape his father's grasp. He kidnapped Ahsoka as we were leaving and drew us into a fight on the planet. In the ensuing fight, he attempted to kill the Father, but instead killed the Daughter when she threw herself between the Son and the Father."
"The Daughter's death caused the balance of Mortis to begin to decay. The Father implored us to leave, but we were unable to at first. And before we could, the three of us were forced to join with the Father in order to defeat the Son. In the end, the Father killed himself in order to strip the Son of most of his powers, tied to him as they were. And with the Son weakened, Anakin slew him. It was in the aftermath of their death that we teleported from Mortis back into space. And never again did we see or hear of this place," Obi-Wan finishes his story.
"So why is this place still here? If it was tied to the Ones, why didn't it disappear?" Rey asks, a little confused.
"You are mistaken. This place was not tied to the Ones. The Ones were tied to this place. Mortis has existed since the Force came into existence, and will continue to exist until the universe dies. While parts of this world, mostly their own creations, were tied to the Ones, the planet is tied to the Force, and will exist so long as the Force does," Obi-Wan responds.
Ben looks at Obi-Wan and asks a question that's been on his mind, "So, the Ones don't rule the Force?"
"No. Their power within the Force was strong enough that they could have profound impacts on the galaxy and even the universe, but they did not rule the Force," Obi-Wan says.
"Wait, Master Kenobi. If the Ones are dead, and we're alone here on this world, then why exactly are we here? Are we just supposed to use this place as a training ground?" Rey asks
Obi-Wan glances back at them and smiles. "Not quite, my young Jedi. Follow me," he says. He then faces forward again and continues descending the stairs. Again, Ben and Rey exchange a glance.
Obi-Wan leads them down the staircase and out of the monastery. They emerge into what looks like it used to once be a great garden, though most of the place is ruined.
Obi-Wan finally stops and turns to face the young Jedi. "You are not here alone," he says.
Ben and Rey feel very confused. Then, they see a second Force Ghost beginning to take shape next to Obi-Wan. After a moment, Ben's eyes begin to widen as he recognizes the face of the ghost.
"Grandfather?" Ben asks.
Sure enough, Anakin Skywalker smiles back at Ben. "Hello, Ben. I am glad you finally made your way here," he says.
Ben stares at the ghost of his grandfather, stunned at the fact that he is seeing him. He remembers his father once saying that he had heard Anakin speak to him in the years after he died, but Luke had only mentioned it once in passing.
"Grandfather….why are you here?" Ben asks.
Anakin smiles at Ben before he answers, "I am here to help you learn an important lesson. A lesson that the Father learned when Obi-Wan and I came to Mortis…and that I learned myself later on. One can never know what outcome their choices will lead to, or what obstacles lie in your path. All you can do is prepare yourself as best you can to deal with any possibility."
"How do you intend to teach us that?" Ben asks.
"By all of us sharing the wisdom we have gained over our lives," Anakin responds.
"All of us?" Ben asks in confusion.
Anakin smiles knowingly. "Come now, Ben. You didn't really think that I intended to teach you alone, did you? You two are the culmination of thousands of years of Jedi, and the ones who will lead the galaxy into its future. Did you think I would be the only one who would come to teach you?"
Right then, Ben and Rey are filled with shock and awe as they see more and more Force Ghosts beginning to materialize behind Anakin.
"You two are the hope of the Jedi. And that's why the great Jedi of history are here to share their wisdom," Anakin responds with a brilliant smile, the ghosts of Jedi from throughout galactic history gathered around him.
And, I'll end the chapter there.
So, next chapter will introduce the Jedi I have chosen to appear, and Ben and Rey beginning to learn under them. The Mortis arc will last at least three more chapters, including this next one.
Next chapter will be up soon. Until it is, please leave a review, and stay tuned!