He clumsily walks toward his Mom and Dad, who are both wearing big encouraging smiles as they beckon him forward. He grins happily as he takes another step forward.

Suddenly everything around them grows dark and cold.

Dad gives a pained shout as a glowing red blade emerges from his chest. Mom cries out in horror while he himself starts wailing in fear as his Dad falls to reveal a shadowy figure with frightening horns and evil glowing eyes.

Mom tries to retreat from the Shadow but is cut down, and then it turns toward him.

He screams in terror as the Shadow advances, carrying a glowing blade as red as the blood he's spilled with it. He tries to flee, but in vain.

The Shadow reaches out to grab him, a rotten-tooth-filled grin spread across his face.


Jedi Temple, Coruscant

3rd person POV...

In the middle of the night, the room mostly without any light, young Jarik Shan woke up screaming. He shot up in bed, clutching the blankets up to himself to try and hide from the monster he saw. All around the room the other five younglings were quickly woken up at his scream and started panicking themselves.

"Ahh! What happened?!" Kurhran shouts, looking around frantically.

"Somebody screamed!" Rylla quickly realized, worried.

Jarik backed himself up against the wall in his bed with frantic, uncontrolled breaths, staring in front of him at nothing in particular with wide, panicked eyes.

"No! No…!" he whimpers to himself.

"No what?" Weron exclaims.

Jarik flinches and covers his head, still whimpering to himself.

"Jarik? What's wrong?" Ahsoka asks worriedly.

Just then Xudi bursts into the room, still in her nightclothes, and looks around at everybody in concern.

"What happened? Is everyone alright?" she asks quickly.

"Jarik woke us up!" Vifi complains.

"He was screaming!" Kurhran adds.

Xudi looks over to see Jarik huddled by himself in the corner, covering his head. Ahsoka was trying to approach him but he kept shying away and whining if she got too close. With a worried look on her face Xudi rushes over to them.

"Move back, Ahsoka," she orders firmly.

Ahsoka, although wanting to argue, relents and does as order, allowed Xudi to move down beside Jarik without any trouble. She carefully lays a hand on Jarik's shoulder and the boy flinches, peeking up at her. Upon seeing Xudi, however, he screams again and tries to back away, only to have nowhere else to go.

"Hey, hey, hey... it's okay, Jarik. You're okay," Xudi says gently, holding her hands up placatingly. "Everything is alright. You're safe here."

"N-no..." he whimpers, hiding himself.

"Take a deep breath, youngling," she tells him. "No one here is going to hurt you."

"B- but the— monster..." he says weakly.

Xudi shushes him quietly and places her hand on his shoulder again. She opens herself to the Force and lets some of her energy wash over the frightened boy, soothing him with its light and pushing the darkness away.

"You're safe, Jarik," she says quietly. "There's no monster here."

Jarik's rapid breathing slowly starts to settle down a bit more and he risks peeking out again. He flinches upon spotting Xudi but musters enough courage to keep looking, soon seeing the woman in front of him past her horns. Whimpering, Jarik lunges forward and hugs Xudi tightly, as if his life depended on it, and the Jedi matron returns the embrace, rubbing his back comfortingly.

"That's better," she says with a small smile.

"I think he had a nightmare," Ahsoka says.

"Oh, you had a nightmare? I'm so sorry, Jarik, but you're alright now," Xudi assures him.

"Nightmare?" Rylla asks, confused. "About what?"

"Maybe the Demon of Apoko," Weron suggests.

"The what?" Ahsoka exclaims.

"Demon?!" Rylla whispers nervously.

Hearing the conversation, Jarik's breathing starts to increase again as his fear grows, and Xudi levels them all with a stern gaze of disapproval.

"Younglings! Behave yourselves! Saying such things right now is not appropriate!" she scolds them.

"Sorry, Master Irris," they all say in reply.

"Was it Apoko…?" Jarik whispers fearfully.

Xudi shakes her head and rubs his shoulder with a comforting smile.

"No, of course not. It's only a fairy tale, Jarik, not a real monster," she reassures him. "You don't need to worry about it, okay? You're perfectly safe here with us."

Although still fearful, Jarik accepts her assurance with a small nod of acknowledgement. He continues to hug Xudi while the rest of the group all look on in varying levels of worry, confusion, and unease. Ahsoka holds her hands together tightly out of concern.


THE NEXT DAY...


The group of six younglings waddled through the halls of the Jedi Temple with an excited bounce in their steps as they followed Master Irris. Today was the day for them to really begin their training for the first time, and they couldn't be more excited. Jarik shares in the excitement as well, but he still can't help but feel uneasy about the nightmare he had last night. As a result he hung near the back, though like the rest of his peers he looked around in awe and wonder at the majesty of the Temple.

"Where are we going, Master?" Rylla asks curiously.

"To the training dojo, young one," Xudi answers.

Kurhran gasps in excitement.

"Ooh oh! Do we get laser swords?!" he squeals.

"I get the first one!" Weron declares.

"Hey, you can't do that!" Kurhran scowls.

"Just did!" he retorts proudly.

"That's not how it works," Vifi rolls her eyes.

"Says who? Kurhran challenges.

"Younglings, behave," Xudi admonishes them. "When we are in the Temple, you must be reverent and mindful of those around you."

Ahsoka pauses in her step for a moment with a nervous look of confusion on her face.

"Umm, what does reverent mean?" she asks.

"It means you must be calm and respectful," Xudi explains. "This is a place of learning, not distractions."

"Yes, Master," Rylla obediently nods.

The group continues on their walk and Kurhran and Weron both shoot each other nasty looks, ready to challenge each other in a bid for superiority. Jarik notices from the back and giggles but otherwise doesn't comment.

"Right this way," Xudi tells them.

Soon enough the clan reaches a smaller room that is empty of any other Jedi. They file in and Xudi turns to address them.

"Choose a spot on the mat, but choose wisely," she informs the group. "It will be your assigned seat in here from now on."

"Last spot gets last place!" Kurhran exclaims.

He rushes forward and, responding to his speed, the other younglings quickly move to claim their own favorite spots. Jarik makes a move toward the back right corner but before he could get there Weron charges out of nowhere to shove past Jarik, popping himself down on the mat.

"Hey, I wanted that spot!" Jarik complains.

"I got here first," Weron states.

Jarik gapes at him, quickly growing angry.

"But—" he tries to protest.

"Wow, Weron, just steal his spot!" Kurhran scoffs.

"I didn't steal it, I got it first!" he argues defensively.

"Who cares?" Vifi groans.

"Hey!" Ahsoka calls out to Jarik, waving him over. "Sit next to me!"

Jarik hesitates, however, as her spot was more up front, meaning the one next to hers would be front and center. Unfortunately though everyone else has already gotten to a mat and claimed it.

"Jarik's in last place!" Kurhran calls out.

"No I wasn't! He stole my spot!" Jarik complains, pointing an accusing finger at Weron.

"Younglings, please," Xudi interjects sternly. "Remember what I just told you. We should not argue with one another either."

"Yes, Master," they all say.

"Jarik?" Xudi asks, gesturing to the last remaining mat.

Jarik whines in frustration but begrudgingly moves over to the mat and sits himself down, not happy about his placement. Ahsoka waves at him with a wide grin but he doesn't notice in his pouting, which she frowns at.

"Good," Xudi nods in content once everyone is seated. "Now, today you are going to begin learning the basics of deflecting a blaster bolt with a lightsaber."

"Cool!" Ahsoka squeals.

Upon hearing this, Jarik's bad mood is immediately pushed away and he sits up straighter in excitement, and he quickly raises his hand.

"Do we get our lightsabers?" he asks.

"Still not for some time, Jarik," she replies. "None of you are ready to handle a saber just yet, so this class will be watching and studying only."

There's a collective groan and outcry of disappointment from the clan.

"Have patience, younglings. For this lesson I've invited Master Slavin and Padawan Palri to demonstrate a few exercises you'll need to know," Xudi says, gesturing behind her.

The two Jedi in question, having just entered the room while the younglings were finding their seats, step forward upon being addressed. Jedi Master Alec Slavin was a human male well with a well-trimmed beard known for his swordsmanship, and his shy young Padawan Lilian Palri, a human female, was aspiring to be the same.

"Hello, younglings," the Jedi Master greets pleasantly.

"Hello Master Slavin!" the clan replies.

Master Irris moves back to allow Slavin and Palri to be upfront in the spotlight for now.

"I'm glad we could be here with you for this lesson. Learning to use a lightsaber is no easy task," Slavin says, looking around at them all. "Before we start though, which one of you can tell me what a lightsaber is?"

"It's a laser sword!" Weron says immediately.

"Good, but not quite the answer I'm looking for," he responds, looking at a raised hand. "Yes?"

"It's a Jedi's weapon," Jarik answers.

"Close, but there's much more to it," Slavin replies. "Any other ideas?"

There's silence amongst the younglings as few of them are unsure how else to answer the question before Ahsoka timidly raises her hand, to Master Slavin points at her.

"Umm… I heard its kind of like a heart?" Ahsoka says nervously.

"What?" Kurhran asks in bewilderment.

"That doesn't make any—" Weron starts to say.

"Yes, good answer!" Slavin declares.

The other younglings gape in surprise.

"Huh?" Vifi says.

"A lightsaber is the weapon of a Jedi, yes, but that is not its sole purpose," he explains. "Like she said, a lightsaber is the heart and soul of a Jedi. It is part of our lives—who we are. As such, it is something that we do not treat lightly. Who can tell me what powers a lightsaber? Does anyone know?"

He looks around to see if anyone was raising their hands, but none did.

"That's alright. To power their lightsaber a Jedi must find a kyber crystal, which you do in a very special ceremony once you are ready for you own," he tells them. "These crystals are special because their connection to the Force, and when constructing your saber you must have a crystal that chose you, otherwise it will not work very well."

"How does it choose us?" Rylla asks.

"Great question! Truthfully, we don't know how or why a crystal chooses a Jedi," Slavin answers. "However, it serves as a reminder that the Force, and by extension, our lightsaber, is our greatest ally. Now, I'm sure you're all waiting for the demonstration, yes?"

"Yes!" they shout eagerly.

"Excellent," he smiles, turning to his apprentice. "Padawan, if you would please?"

"Yes, Master," she nods in acknowledgment.

"Now, as she demonstrates I want you all to study how she wields her weapon as an extension of herself," Slavin advises them. "Look not only with your eyes, but through the Force as well. Let it guide you to what you need to see."

"Yes, Master!" they exclaim.

After a gesture from her master, Lilian steps up to the center of the training room and ignites her blue lightsaber. Three training remotes placed on the ground around her position respond to the lightsaber and hover into the air. They begin to slowly circle around her and she follows their pace evenly, her blade held out in front of her.

The first remote then lets off a shot behind her, and Lilian twirls around with a flourish of her lightsaber to catch it. The other remotes move into action, releasing their shots, and Lilian's blade swiftly matches to block each one with the simple, yet wide sweeping motions of Shii-Cho. The younglings look on in amazement, their eyes tracking every movement made.

"Woah…" Weron murmurs in awe.

"Cool," Vifi whispers.

Jarik also watches in fascination, his fingers trembling in anticipation of the idea of using a lightsaber himself.

*:*:*

She's facing the Shadow, wielding her fallen master's saber.

*:*:*

The sudden image in Jarik's mind wipes the excited look off of his face in an instant, and he gasps quietly under his breath. In front of him, Lilian swings her lightsaber in a wide arc to deflect another bolt.

*:*:*

She swings in a wide arc and the Shadow easily evades with a sneer.

*:*:*

"Jarik?" Xudi's voice echoes in his mind.

Jarik's breathing starts to quicken as his fear begins to rise.

"Are you focused?" she was asking.

*:*:*

She's forced to her knees by the Shadow, who held his weapon high above her. His yellow eyes bore into hers.

*:*:*

He isn't even focused on the demonstration in front of him anymore. In his mind all he can see is the... the Shadow.

*:*:*

The Shadow swung his blade at her, and the last thing she saw was red.

*:*:*

The youngling, plagued by the nightmare of the Shadow, screamed.


ONE HOUR LATER...


With a bit of time to spare right now Qui-Gon made his way through the Temple to see what has been causing the stir of fright and terror that seems to be afflicting a few young souls in the Jedi Temple. Beside him was also Master Plo Koon who, sharing the same level of care and concern over the situation as he himself did, joined Qui-Gon in his venture.

"You seem particularly troubled, Qui-Gon," the Kel Dor comments.

"I am, Master," Qui-Gon admits. "I cannot help but fear for young Jarik's well-being."

"Indeed," Plo nods in agreement. "Hopefully his plight may resolve itself soon."

Qui-Gon quietly acknowledges him with a grunt, and soon enough the pair arrive at their destination. The younglings of the Akul Clan were huddled together outside of a training dojo under the supervision of Master Slavin and his apprentice, and upon spotting their arrival Ahsoka quickly rushes over.

"Master Plo!" she exclaims, hugging his leg.

"Hello, Little 'Soka," he greets warmly.

She lifts her head to look up at him and both Jedi could tell that she had been crying earlier, though has since stopped now. But her eyes were filled with worry and fear.

"What's wrong with Jarik?" she asks. "Can you help?"

"Whatever we can do," Qui-Gon assures her.

Ahsoka nods in acceptance and lets go of Plo and the Jedi make their way over to the rest of the group. Qui-Gon noticed how Padawan Palri seemed particularly unsettled, which made him even more concerned.

"How is he doing?" Qui-Gon asks.

"I'm not sure," Alec replies. "Master Irris is with him and we haven't heard anything so I can only assume he's calmed down. Still..."

He shakes his head and glances back, frowning.

"Has this happened before?" he questions.

Qui-Gon sighs, shaking his head.

"Not that I'm aware of," he replies.

"It's very uncommon for a youngling to have such violent dreams," Alec comments, glancing at his apprentice. "Apparently this one involved Lilian, though we're not sure in what way."

Qui-Gon and Plo both share a concerned glance with each other, the former speculating what it could mean. However, he's almost certain that the dream also involved the rogue Force user that attempted to kidnap Jarik. It's the only thing that could explain the resulting reaction he displayed.

"I'll see what I can find out," he reassure his fellow Master.

"If you have other duties to attend, Master Slavin, I can manage the younglings from here," Plo says.

Master Slavin nods and then beckons Lilian to follow him and the pair move on. The other younglings are, for once, quiet and unsure of how to react in this strange situation. Qui-Gon then enters the training dojo and looks around to see Xudi seated on the floor at a safe distance from Jarik. The boy himself was huddled in the corner and hugging his legs to his chest, hiding his face and quietly crying. Upon his entry Xudi turns to look at Qui-Gon and stands up, her face full of worry.

"He won't let me near him," she tells him quietly.

"Has this happened before?" he asks in reply.

"Yes, but not this badly," Xudi says, glancing back at Jarik. "I'm qorried for him, Qui-Gon."

"As am I," he says in agreement. "I'll give it a try."

Xudi nods at him in acknowledgement and Qui-Gon slowly starts to move toward the frightened boy.

"Jarik?" he asks quietly. "Can I come over?"

"N-no!" he protests, making himself even smaller.

"I'm here to help you, Jarik," Qui-Gon says softly. "It's me, Qui-Gon."

Jarik doesn't reply for a second and he takes that as a cue to move closer.

"What if you're not?" the boy whimpers. "What if you're the monster?"

Qui-Gon pauses, contemplating how to proceed, and then crouches down slowly to be more at the same level as Jarik.

"Would the monster know who I am?" he asks gently. "I know you're afraid, Jarik. But at the end of every dark tunnel you will always find the light. Can you make it there?"

"H-he'll catch me..." Jarik whispers.

"No, Jarik," Qui-Gon disagrees. "The light will come to you. But only if you let it."

Jarik continues to sit in the corner for a while, his sniffles slowly fading away until, finally, he starts to lift his head up. When he sees Qui-Gon there, his hand outstretched to him in invitation, he gasps, and the Jedi Master smiles.

"Mister Jinn!" he cries out.

Jarik rushes forward and throws himself into Qui-Gon's waiting arms and tears start flowing from his eyes again, though this time in desperate relief.

"You're always safe here, Jarik," Qui-Gon assures the boy.

The youngling sniffles a bit, burying his face in the Master's cloak.

"What's wrong with me?" he pleads at a whisper.

Qui-Gon sighs, stroking the boys back.

"Jarik..." he says quietly.


THE NEXT DAY...


High Council Chamber, Jedi Temple - Coruscant

Early the next morning in the chambers of the Jedi High Council, Master Slavin and his Padawan walked forward to stand in the center of the room.

"You summoned us, Masters?" Alec inquires.

"Indeed," Windu responds with a nod. "Are either of you familiar with Senator Palpatine of Naboo?"

"Not very well, I'm afraid," he replies, shaking his head.

"We just recently received a troubling report from him. During his latest trip to negotiate with the Trade Federation, he picked up a strange signal originating from deep in the Outer Rim," Windu informs them. "The reason he notified us is because this signal resembled a coded distress beacon nearly a thousand years old."

"A thousand years? That's from before the High Republic, right Master?" Lilian asks, looking up at Alec.

"Indeed, Padawan," he confirms with a deep frown on his face. "Who would be using such an old beacon?"

"That is what we wish for you to discover, Master Slavin," Ki-Adi states.

"Careful, you must be," Master Yoda advises the duo. "A disturbance in the Force, I have felt. Caused by this distress beacon, I fear it is."

"We recommend you assemble a team to bring with you as a precaution," Yaddle adds. "We do not know if this is friend or foe."

Alec nods his head in acknowledgement.

"I understand. We will depart as soon as possible," he declares.

"May the Force be with you," Master Windu says.

The master and apprentice bow before the Council and then step out of the Council Chambers. As they leave Master Yoda glances over at Plo with a troubled gaze and the Kel Dor Jedi Master shares the same sentiment.


Sith training facility, Sorgan - Out Rim Territories

Within the depths of a great training facility on the planet Sorgan, the Shadow of the Sith dwelled.

For much of his life the Shadow has lived here, juggling between solitude and company. Whenever he was in solitude, the Shadow was bored. Antsy. But whenever he was in company he was fearful. It was a healthy and respectful fear, as is only natural to have in the face of the most powerful being in the galaxy.

The Shadow would often undergo brutal training here and it showed in how easily he could fend off the attacks of his training probe droids at even the highest level. He needed a real challenge.

As the Shadow spent his time researching various Jedi and Sith techniques within his holographic dome, he pondered the words of his Sith master to him just hours prior.

'Our enemies will pay for what they have done to us. The annihilation of our people will not be left unpunished.'

On that, he surely agreed. He remembers when they traveled to the abandoned Sith ruins on Malachor I and witnessed the destruction there. Such an atrocity demanded justice.

'For a thousand years we have been waiting, hiding, observing, but our time to strike is finally at hand, my apprentice. Now the Jedi are weak, blinded by arrogance and limited by compassion, they choose to deny the true nature of the Force: that hate makes us powerful.'

He watched a recording of his most recent training session. It's hard to truly allow his hatred to burst forth against training droids, but when he does grasp that hatred he excels. He is faster, more powerful, and always triumphant.

'Very soon we will be strong enough and vengeance will be ours. But until then our presence must be kept hidden. We cannot let them know what we are planning. You must protect our secrets at all cost.'

As he's pondering all of these things in his studies the facility's alarms start to blare loudly. The Shadow looks around in surprise for a moment and brings down the security logs to see what the sensors in Sorgan's orbit picked up.

A Jedi shuttle is approaching the planet and its trajectory had it traveling straight for the facility.

If Jedi were here, then it's not without reason. If they discover his presence on this planet and manage to inform the Republic... that cannot happen. He would not allow it. With their deaths, he would redeem himself of his previous and only failure.

'Any intruder must be destroyed immediately.'

The Shadow smiles in anticipation of this challenge.