Author Note: Yo! Here is chapter 60! I got to make this author note pretty quick because I have to head out soon. This chapter has a lot of hints of what's going to be covered in the eventual sequel I have planned out for this fic. Also thanks everyone that got me up to 80 followers, I was so hype when we reached that number!
Thanks for reading. Please remember to follow, favorite, and review. Greatly helps my motivation in writing and I hope you enjoy. Please have a good day!
6/20/2022 Author Note: Yo! You guys probably see the new update, I added in more to the bottom of the chapter, basically after the Jet scene there is more to read so I hope you guys enjoy. Likewise, there is something special I want to do. Because we reached over 80 followers I was thinking of doing a Special Q&A. Basically, leave a review within this chapter or any of the future chapters till we reach the final of Book 2. If you have any questions you can just put it in there.
I also want to state that after we reach the end of Book 2 I won't start Book 3 for a while. This isn't like the whole "I'll be gone for a while" author notes I have in which I'll be back in one to two weeks. I have some important stuff that I need to do so after Book 2 ends, I will take a break on the fic. First off thanks again for reading and I hope you enjoy!
Chapter 60
Ben and Katara had walked the rest of the way back to their apartment. Maneuvering through the streets of Ba Sing Sai. There was a melancholy within their movements. Haru, the young man that they had both encountered all those months ago…had left once again.
Still, they didn't feel the pains of sadness or the pull of regret. Rather they looked ahead towards the future. Haru was now a Knight of the New Jedi Order and Ben had an inkling feeling that Haru would honor such a title.
Ben parted the door open as Katara entered. Waving hi to Toph and Sokka. The rest Ben figured were out to either explore or do some chores. Ben sat the crate along the table. Not right before Sokka seized his sleeve.
His dark eyes going towards his own as he could feel the spike of anxiety rise from Katara. Sokka tilted his head towards Ben. "She's here…" Ben slowly nodded. Not returning any sign or glance as he turned around towards…
A woman, possibly in her mid to late twenties. Light greenish, borderline yellow dress. Her dark greenish eyes peering into his own as he stared at her. "Hello, my name is Joo Dee." She spoke. "Welcome to our lovely city. You are the Jedi, correct?"
Ben nodded along. His gaze turning back to his team. Remembering on the prior conversations that the Earth King had a lot to do, and this was his messenger. However, Ben was not a fool. He could see it within this woman's eyes, there was something else there.
Almost like a river. It is deep…and to find what you are looking for you need to desperately seek below the surface. Ben did not know much about the history of the Avatar within this world, but he knew Aang and how at times he could be too relaxed or kind for his own good.
Well, he had his own approach. "Grandmaster actually." Ben reaffirmed. His golden eyes peering at Joo Dee's own, the deepening tone not even catching the woman off guard as she still held that smile. It irked him, made him feel strange…
"Is it true that we cannot see the Earth King until next month?"
"Ah, see that's where the difficulty comes in." Joo Dee spoke. Lightly shaking her head almost like she was about to dimmish the claims. Yet, her eyes and smile still stuck as she shook her body. Almost like a toy or a doll. "The Earth King is very busy and cannot be bothered by such trivial matters."
Ben laughed, a chuckle that rose through the room as he felt the stares of his friends. "Trivial matters?" He repeated. "There is a war going outside these walls. The Fire Nation has allied with the newly reconstructed Sith order, and now the Jedi Grandmaster and Avatar seek an audience to unite all the powers into one fierce attack…" Ben let out another chuckle. Inching closer to Joo Dee as he saw the faint trickles of sweat roll down her face. "…but are we too trivial."
Ben walked towards the window. Feeling the cool wind along his face as the pitching light of the sun began to fall, slowly blanketing the streets in a relaxing dark orange gleam. "Who knows, maybe Aang and me should just storm the palace. I'm sure the Earth King could just make time…"
"No!"
Joo Dee's voice rose with a striking pitch. Nearly causing Ben to leap up as the woman quickly glanced towards her surroundings. Yet, right before Ben could say anything, it was Toph that spoke.
"You're afraid, I can feel your heartbeat, almost like you're going to have a heart attack." Toph said.
Joo Dee, hesitation, and fear guiding her movements as Ben felt it within the force. Fear, the trickling knife's edge of fear that had sunk into Joo Dee's movements. But there was something more, something deep within.
"Your mind, it's so clouded…I can hardly even read it." Ben said. The people around the table now rising as they began to move in closer.
Joo Dee trying to retain the inch of a smile that she once had. Yet, she had simply backed up and fell along the couch. "I am fine…I just…need…"
Ben raised his right hand outward. Her eyes widening as she stared at him. "What are…you…doing!" She stuttered as she stared at him.
"I'm using the force to see if I can ease the weight on your mind. There is something more going on here and I intend to find it…"
Ben slowly took a deep breath, his eyes closing as he locked onto that wave of force energy. Enamoring himself within the things that connect all things as he fixated ahead. His body grew lighter as he felt the spur of power only grow within his movements.
He remembered the time Ulic had utilized that strange technique to awaken him to his abilities once again after all the training he had accomplished put a temporary block on his abilities. Yet instead, he focused on doing something else.
"What are you doing?" Sokka questioned.
Ben letting out a groan. "Trying to fix this, so can you please be quiet."
"Sorry…"
With those words Ben fixated on that warm flame. Sparking it along the edges of Joo Dee's mind, fixating on the warmth of it as he could feel it. The small strain, the warmth that had slowly began to generate.
He released a deep breath as sweat began to go down his brow. Slowly opening his eyes as he wiped the strands off him. Joo Dee's eyes widening as her own hand seized her head. "What did you do?" Katara was now the one that asked the question.
"There was a darkness within Joo Dee's mind. So, I tried my best to cleanse it, but I was only able to alleviate it." He spoke. He turned back to Joo Dee as the woman had her eyes directed towards the floor.
"I…can actually hear my thoughts, the voices are gone?"
It was aimed almost like a question but none within the group could feel like it was directed towards them. Joo Dee's eyes slowly going towards Ben's own once again. "Alright then." He spoke as he clapped his hands together. "I think it's time for us to get to business."
With those words Ben and the rest of the team sat around Joo Dee as the woman herself, for the first time that the whole team had seen her had finally stopped smiling. "What is the real reason that we can't see the Earth King?" Sokka asked. "We both know it's not about maintaining the Earth Kingdom. Fire Nation and there Sith Armada has already breached the regions…"
Joo Dee's eyes widened, a somber look taking over. "So, it really is that bad." She murmured.
Katara slowly walked over towards her side. "Yes, it is." She spoke. Her eyes going from Joo Dee and to Ben's frame. "That is why it is evident for the Avatar and the new Jedi Grandmaster to meet the Earth King. We have vital information that may very well cause us the war."
Joo Dee stared ahead, almost like she was mulling over her information as she glanced back to Ben. "Your safe here with us…you can tell us anything." Ben spoke. Turning towards Toph. "Toph, do you feel anything?"
Yet, right before Toph could speak. Joo Dee's gravelly voice emptied out words. "There always here, possibly always listening."
"What…who?" Sokka said.
"Dai Lee agents, they're the ones that have seized control of Ba Sing Sai." She slowly rose from her seat. Her eyes darting towards the twin windows of their small apartment as she slumped back down. Her hands once again combing down her hair as maddened dark tendrils clouded her features. "Secret police. They make sure talk of the war never gets out and spreads through the city."
"But why?" Katara asked, rising from her seat as she stared at Joo Dee. "The Fire Nation just attacked with a massive drill yesterday to destroy the wall. If it weren't for our team…Ba Sing Sai may have fell!"
Joo Dee nodded along with the water bending master's words. "The nature and secrecy of the war has eluded me as well. Why are we keeping this secret from our citizens even though many are refugees from the same war, why does many within the city believe that the Jedi Order still lives?"
With those words, Ben's eyes sparked to life as his teammates turned towards him. "They believe that the Order still lives?"
"Yes, master Jedi. They believe that the old order still exists but due to "circumstances" they are not involved within the people's day to day life…or possibly that's what they choose to believe."
That made sense in a strange way to Ben. Knowledge of the Jedi were destroyed by Sith assassins and fire nation scouts. To create generations with no knowledge of either the force or the Jedi Order, they could've won the war alone. But Ben and his team thrown a mighty wrench into their plans.
Now through their exploits tales of the Jedi and the history had resurfaced throughout the nations…but there was something off within her words.
"Choose to believe?" Toph repeated, questioning the strange choice within Joo Dee's words.
She slowly nodded her head. "It's not that no one believes that the war exists outside of these walls. More so that the people either choose to believe or wish to not speak about the war."
The gang slowly remembered their prior circumstances with Joo Dee. How every time they spoke to a citizen or anyone within Ba Sing Sai about the century long war, they would be greeted with hesitation and fear.
The refugees…and most likely the citizens of Ba Sing Sai probably knew the truth behind the Great War and the truth of the old Jedi Order by now. But due to this Dai Lee secret police, they choose to retain a veil of doubt to avoid being targeted.
Ben slowly felt the itch of paranoia eat into him. Ba Sing Sai was meant to be their salvation, the place in which they would take the true fight to the Fire Nation and this new breed of Sith. But now it was merely another danger, and possibly, another dead end.
"Joo Dee, why are you being so open with us now?" Sokka asked. "Before you were always so…smiley and stuff, what changed?"
"It was what the Master Jedi did to me. There was a cloud of darkness that was within my mind, a deep feeling that would never reside." She took a deep breath, hesitating as she spoke the next couple of words. "I can hardly remember anything from my initiation within the ranks as a tour guide. But I can remember a lake, a man…and something else, a light. After that there is nothing, only the urge to follow orders."
Sokka's eyes widened at the words. "Joo Dee…do you think you were brainwashed?"
The grip stuttered within their seats. There glances going towards Sokka and then to Joo Dee, their hearts only beating harder as she slowly nodded her head along the young warrior's estimation.
Sokka let out a deep breath of air. Taking a seat to stop himself from falling over. Ben's eyes widened, the paranoia and worry that had been slowly building up within his chest was about to burst free like a simmering hot pot along an oven. Yet…
He took a deep breath, slowly closing his eyes as he felt the waves of anxiety rolling off him. The danger was real, but he needed a clear mind, or he would simply fail in the end. When he was composed, he turned towards Sokka and Toph.
"Where did Aang, Ty Lee, and Jet go?" He asked.
"I don't know where twinkle toes went, but I know that Ty Lee and Jet went out to explore the city for a little bit."
"Thanks, Toph." Ben thanked.
Ty Lee and Jet were together, they each were powerful Jedi, and he was sure that they would be able to handle themselves. Aang was the avatar, but he disliked the fact that he was alone within the city.
"But back to the question from before, about the Earth King." Katara said.
Joo Dee turning towards the girl. "I do not know why the Earth King has not spoken to your team. Even if he was with the Dai Lee, it seems like such an important thing."
Ben mulled over Joo Dee's words. However, he slowly shook his head as he prepared his final question. "Is Ba Sing Sai truly safe for us. Are the Dai Lee planning anything that we must know about?"
Joo Dee stared up at him. Her eyes darting to all his companions as she slowly stared at him. Mulling over her own answer.
She parted her lips as in a dry and raspy voice echoed her response. "I do not know, I am sorry."
With that parting question. Team Avatar said their goodbyes to Joo Dee, Ben taking a seat along the same couch that Joo Dee had sat in as he combed through his short locks of hair. His eyes gluing towards the dark wooden floor as the members of his team began to surround him.
Exhaustion, even though they had not done anything their bodies still felt the toll Joo Dee's words had given them. They each knew that something was wrong, that there was a dark side linger within the air and the relative strangeness within Joo Dee, but they could never have expected this!
To be wrapped up within such a deep veil of lies, betrayals, and secrecy. A relative quick trip to Ba Sing Sai had slowly become a dangerous web of deceit. "What do we do now?" Katara asked.
"I don't know…"
Ben's words came from his lips, but they felt foreign within his own. One of the last stretches of hope that they could have achieved was now gone. Taking a deep breath he rose from his seat, hearing the opening of the door as Ty Lee and Jet walked into the room.
Their eyes going towards everyone. The dreariness and exhausted glances already showing that something was wrong. "Ty Lee…" Ben spoke. Making his way across the room as he wrapped his arms around the woman. The girl nearly jumping in response from the pleasant surprise.
"Oh, you missed me that much." She slyly responded. Yet, as they separated, she saw the terrified glance that had decorated Ben's gaze.
Her other hand cupping his cheek as his mechanical fingers rested on top of hers. "What's wrong…"
With those words, Ben shut the door. Ushering in Jet and Ty Lee as he began to summarize the event that had occurred. Telling them of his choice to appoint Haru to the rank of Jedi Knight, but also leading into what occurred with Joo Dee. The brainwash, the secret police, and the rest.
It had taken them a couple of minutes to take in the information as Jet was the first one to speak. Yet, it was something none of them could expect. "Zuko…and general Iroh are here." Jet dejectedly said.
Ben redoubling as the familiar name streamed into his mind, a split-second layer of anger from the deep memory lingered within his heart. The way the cold burned into his skin, the waves of dark energies that surrounded him…and that powerful force scream that shook the mountain.
The fear that he had failed…back then, if Zuko did not find a way to cut off his escape route for him to follow. Ben would've killed him. Taking another deep breath, he slowly shook the thought away. 'No use in lingering on a past that I cannot change. Or a hypothetical that never came to fruition.'
"Alright. What are Zuko and Iroh doing?" Ben asked. "Is it something we have to worry about."
Jet's hazel eyes went towards Ben's own. "There working at a tea shop. I am telling you Ben that there is something that is going on here."
Ty Lee was the one that shook her head. "No, Jet. I already told you before, I felt it within the force and felt nothing malignant about them." Her hands went towards her forehead. "Shockingly, Zuko felt strange. Almost calm, like he found a level of peace within himself."
Jet sneered. "Peace?" He repeated. "Ty Lee told me about them. Zuko is a prince of the fire nation. Iroh, that old bastard is trying to live a life at a tea shop. Do you know what he did Ben?"
He turned towards everyone. "His name was General Iroh. He led countless sieges within the Earth Kingdom, he worked side by side with a Lord of The Sith, Darth Fowl." His head snapped back to Ben. "He's murdered countless innocents, conspired with the Sith, and helped hunt down the avatar. We must deal with him!"
Jet's voice rose, Ben staring at him as he felt the waves of volatile emotion reside deep within. "Jet, trust me, I get that your angry right now. Zuko was a thorn in our side for the longest time but…"
Sokka was instantly cut off as Jet shot him a look. "But?" He repeated. "He's a fire nation scumbag. We should've dealt with him during the Siege of The North."
Katara walked over to him. Grabbing his hand as she slowly turned him towards her. "We don't have the time to attack Iroh or Zuko. There just living their life Jet, we have bigger things to worry about."
Jet moved his hand away. Nearly snapping it away as he wrenched his arms to his side. "No, I refuse. These are the fire nation's royal family; I won't let them get away with what they did." He could see the hurt that registered across Katara's face, but he merely turned away.
Ben shook his head in response. "Jet, like Katara said we have bigger things to worry about." He shot his finger outside. "The Dai Lee agents have taken over Ba Sing Sai. We have no clue if the Earth King has been ordering them around this whole time. For all we know all the time we spent trying to reach here could be for nothing!"
Ben's voice rose with a pitch of his own.
"Yeah, we have to decide right now if we are going to leave." Sokka added on.
"Leave!" Jet screamed. "Are you kidding me right now. Sokka, these fire nation dogs killed your mother." His hand slammed along his chest. "They killed my whole family, my freedom fighters…they burned two of my homes to the ground!"
He snapped his head, vigorously shaking it as tendrils of dark brown hair widely flown. "This, I could handle letting a fire nation soldier go. I can deal with that but allowing such a transgression like this…to allow them to live a life safe behind these walls after the horrible crimes they had committed. No, this deserves correction!"
Jet spoke with a canceled and horrible furry. His eyes shooting to each one of them. His boot slammed into the floor with such strength they could hear the way the wood wanned underneath his power. "I won't leave…not until these fire nation dogs get what they deserve!"
Ben parted his lips to continue arguing, to warn Jet of the dark side and how dangerous such thoughts and actions could be. But he found something, almost like a mirroring of himself within Jet. His mind drew back to all those months ago, after he had first met them…too that old man.
His heart skipped a beat as his legs felt like jelly. Wasn't he exactly like this…his mind drew back towards that cabin? That old man was just living his life. He could remember it. The way his violet blade hummed within his hands, the sound of the old man's breathing…the broken body.
He was a Mandalorian of Exar Kun's guard. One of the soldiers that crash landed on Coruscant during the Sith Wars. They crashed like meteors. Laying siege to anything they saw; they had willingly and unquestionably proclaimed their loyalty to the Sith.
They had murdered republic soldiers simply doing their jobs, slaughtered jedi, killed innocents. And when Exar died they started another war because they hadn't had their fill.
The old man was a part of that regiment of men and woman that believed there was honor in killing, enslaving, and raiding. Even though he was an old man that left that life behind…did he truly deserve to live a peaceful life with his family, even though he had taken away men from their own?
He could say the same for himself. After falling, during the wars and waging his own war against the Jedi. Though his situation was different. He fell to the dark side, the adults around him manipulated him into a slave of the Sith, and he was a child soldier that had nowhere else to go…except the battlefield.
Could he truly compare himself to the Mandalorian he had killed? No, he doubted he could. There were too many variables, too many choices or Morella dilemmas that would have to be accounted for. But he knew that he was wrong in the way he handled things.
'Revenge is not the Jedi way.' He thought. Slowly mulling along the words that reached his mind. Yes, revenge was not the Jedi way. He did not kill the old Mandalorian out of justice or to protect life, but he killed him out of his desire for revenge. He took out all his anger on the Mandalorian. The anger of what they did to his mother, of what his father was…and the part of his own blood.
Because he had the blood of Mandalorians as well. He should've waited for the war to be over and took the Mandalorian to justice for the crimes he had committed during his service to Exar Kun. He would've been placed on trial, served a verdict, and true justice would've been served.
Instead, he acted in the way of revenge…he lost himself to the dark side and within his anger. He disgraced his master, his mother, the Jedi order…and himself. He was no Jedi that day and he would forever have to live with both the guilt and consequences of his actions.
His mind drew towards that girl that brandished her grandfather's weapons and armor. Within his anger and search for revenge he had set another on that path. It was ironic in a strange way. He wished to exterminate the Mandalorians and wipe them from this world, before he believed he did…only for the girl to appear and proclaim herself the last of the Mandalorians.
If he had not killed her grandfather…he would've let the culture die out, but within his arrogance and rage he became what he sought to destroy. That is why he steeled himself once again. The cycle of revenge he had known and experienced, but he would be damned to send another down that dark path.
"Jet, I know what you're feeling right now. Trust me, I do." He spoke. Only for Jet to wrench his gaze away. Staring out of the window as Ben approached. "I know your angry, that you want to take out your anger on those that hurt you and I understand that. But anger leads to the dark side, and you cannot act within revenge."
"Revenge?" Jet questioned. "This is merely justice. Did they feel anything when they were murdering and raiding? I say that we give them the same treatment!"
"Then you are no Jedi!" Ben rose his voice. Causing Jet to stifle as he approached. His hand going to his shoulder. "A Jedi does not act within revenge or rage. It is our duty to remember our main goals and to serve to protect life. I won't let you act within your anger…"
"Then what do you want to do, let them go!"
"No, I don't. But there is a time and place for this. When the war is over, we will make a council and we will decide the appropriate punishment to give them. For Zuko all the times he had kidnapped Aang…and Iroh for the attacks on Ba Sing Sai."
Jet snapped his head. "Prisoner…"
"Yes, we'll put them on trial for the world to see. We'll make the world see what happens if you go against the safety of the world and mingle with Dark Forces. Then, we'll deal with them. And show the world what happens."
Jet lapsed. His features contorted as the dark layers of hair decorated his features. "I don't know Ben." He doubted. "We won't know where they will be months from now. What happens if they disappear?" His teeth gnashed, his eyes drawing further out the window and into the night sky. "It's too risky. If we let them live…I don't know, it will haunt me forever."
"Please, Jet. Don't do this…hold to the light. Think back to all those times in which you have been tested. Let me…" His hand went towards his team, their eyes peering at both boys. "Let us help you through this."
With those parting words Jet let out a deep breath. His chest rising after each fall as he slowly wiped the tendrils from his gaze.
"Okay, we'll leave…"
With those parting words they had thought it was the end of the conversation. Their eyes glistening as they each let out a sigh of relief. Yet, another figure approached. "No, we can't leave yet. Not now at least."
Aang appeared. The door rising as team avatar turned towards him. Yet, it was the object in his right hand that was outstretched that drew their attention. The white creamy fur that he squeezed so desperately. Momo chirped by his side as team Avatar filled in what they had learned, and his own experience.
Aang had left, building a small enclosure for a group of escaped animals. Throughout this time Momo got into some shenanigans and found a piece of Appa's fur. Now it was obvious that their sky bison was missing within Ba Sing Sai somewhere.
Ben took a deep breath. "Alright, we'll try and find him." He took the fur from Aang as he began to look it over. "We're do we start?"
"We follow Momo. That's the only lead we can find and then you can use the force to find any clues."
With those words Ben turned back towards everyone. "Alright, let's pack up. Grab everything you're going to need but leave behind anything that you can't carry."
With a nod they began to get to work. Packing up supplies from the full cabinets, medicine into Katara's bag, and the Jedi Holocron into the metal tin that contained the robes.
"Ty Lee." Ben called. Wrapping up the sides of the tin with a piece of fabric. The girl walking over towards him as he draped it over her shoulders. "Keep that safe for me."
With another nod they continued to do the last second preparations. Yet, it was Jet. Ben turning around as the group began to surround him as Ben approached. "Jet, are you..."
His voice hitched, his eyes darting towards Jet as his head was in his hands. His breath was heavy and rhythmic. Sweat trailing down his brow as his clumps of dark brown hair stuck to his skin. "Jet…" Ben slowly repeated. "Tell me what's wrong. I know that there is something more going on."
Jet sneered. His eyes rising towards Ben. "I warned you Ben. This place is sick. It's changing us…it's changing me, we've been here far too long." He spoke with a chill that rode a vibrant cold along Ben's spine.
Ben's hand went towards Jet's shoulder as Katara stared down at him. His eyes were trembling, widened and deadly alert. But she felt anger towards herself for not knowing how or what to do to help him.
Jet slowly shook his head. His eyes rising to meet Ben's own gaze. Ben taken aback by the dark orange glow of dark side corruption that had began to take over Jet's eyes. "Jet, I know it's been rough. I know that before you were extremely angry, and I regret not listening to you about the dark taint here. But Jet, we are leaving after we get Appa…we will not return to Ba Sing Sai."
Jet shook his head. Almost like he knew something more than the rest didn't. "I'm tired…Ben." Jet spoke. "I don't want to run or hide anymore like we're rats in the dark. The people of this world need us…the people of Ba Sing Sai need us. I'm sick of it…sick of the killing or the hunting. I'm sick of all the blood."
His heart was beating with such intensity he could hear it within his ears. He could feel the stares of the team as he struggled to breathe. "You don't know what the dark side feels like to me, Ben. Every time I heal and…"
Jet's eyes widened with a fevered look. Ben's hand quickly losing its grip as Jet shot up from the seat, a groan rising from his mouth as both of his hands went to his head.
"Jet…" Ben rose along with his apprentice. His eyes glued to him as he searched for anything to say but all answers were for naught.
"You don't understand…when I heal, I feel the dark side within the person and it seeks to corrupt me, I hear their base level thoughts. The darkness may be evil, but it's more than that, it's an encompassing power that seeks to…"
Jet's teeth gnashed together as his eyes widened with such intensity that they were all able to see the white within them. His heart skipping a beat, his mouth raised open as spit frothed from his lips as his eyes dilated. Jet's vision darkening as fierce sparks and black dots lined his gaze. Then, nothing.
The abyss plagued Jet, the whirling waves of deep black ink consumed and contorted along his surroundings as he felt the waves of raw force energy mingle around him. He was sinking, further and further into the deep.
His voice was caught within his throat, crowding out whatever scream he could possibly muster. He still felt the force around him, within him, but strangely…felt very far away.
His body lurched against a platform of some sorts. His eyelids parting as they were welcomed by the morning sun. He could feel the strange wooden flooring and the hot wind grace along his face as he slowly rose.
Shaky, discombobulated, and not knowing where he was, he rose. He was on a platform of some sorts…a balcony of what he thought was an apartment. Sure, it felt like an apartment from the way it looked. He could feel the wind across his face, how could an apartment be so high up.
He walked over towards the edge. His fingers rolling along the edge of the balcony as his eyes widened at the sight. His eyes, almost like a fever darted in all directions as he took in the new sight. "What is this place?"
His mouth was agape as he spoke the words. This place was insane. It was a city, not like the large towns they had seen within there travels…not even the massive behemoth that was Ba Sing Sai. Yet, this place was grander than anything he had ever seen before.
Long rows of buildings that stumped Ba Sing Sai were outstretched within his vison. Some of them easily pitched the tallest building within Ba Sing Sai while some reached to nearly touch the blue of the sky. Stretching with such height that Jet could hardly see the top. "Woah…" He emptied out.
Within the sky he was taken aback by the sounds of engines. Airships, not like the fire nation warships. Missing the gunner turrets or the rhythmic hum of their primitive engine. These ones were a more copper gold, bulky and wider with black strands along them.
Jet's eyes went towards the streets. The blends of colors warped together as Jet was hardly able to see them. But he was able to dart along strange innovations. There was no more horse drawn or animal drawn carriage. Rather the hum of horns, engines, and gears filled his eardrums.
These strange machines would empty out people or take more in…continuing throughout there day as with a smirk he watched on. "Amazing."
Yet, Jet's eyes slowly widened. "A vision…" He called. "I'm experiencing a vision right now."
The words caused a chuckle to rise from him. He had heard of visons from Ben and Haru but had never experienced them, not until now. He slowly turned to the side. Seeing past a bridge and towards a little island as he saw something that caused his heart to stutter.
"Ben…Aang?"
Within aquamarine stone or metal. Grafted onto an island itself stood in noble poses, the Avatar, and Jedi Grandmaster. Draped with there relative regal clothing as they stood proud and firm. Each holding their respective weapons in hand.
Ben's eternal gaze stood strong. His legs outstretched into the classical form of Shien, as he held his unignited lightsaber outstretched than the common side grip. By his side stood Aang. Holding his staff with one hand as he leaned forward along the rocks edge.
"Republic cities defenders…the Jedi and the avatar, forever protecting."
The words flew through Jet's lips as he seized his head. Curling along his tendrils of hair as he shot his eyes straight back up. "How did I know that?"
Jet slowly shook his head in response to his own question. This whole place felt strange. From what he understood of visions from Haru and Ben, they were almost to nearly instant. Hell, sometimes you came out with a lessened prospective than something showing you the future.
Then it happened, the air grew hotter, but not the natural hot of summer…but rather something else. The once blue tint of the sky slowly warped into something else. The orange reddish glow consuming him as he gazed upwards. He could hear a siren. No, a blistering sound that came from the sky.
Yet, he could feel the darkness. The cold of the dark side had warped the city much like Ba Sing Sai. "No…" He slowly murmured as he rose his vision. Long but slender pieces of machinery flew through the skies. A whole battalion creating that incessant sound as Jet looked around.
The once beautiful city was reduced to ash. Bits of the buildings crumpled as debris rained down on the citizens below, a fire storm raged along the wooden bits of the building as they spread throughout the city like kindling. The screams, the horror…the fear. Jet seized his head again with both hands as that dark allure caused him to look to the right.
Horrified, he witnessed what had become of Ben and Aang's statues. Ben's statue was nearly destroyed, his right arm jagged and crushed, almost like an explosion had gone off there. His face was removed except for a singular right eye. Words in deep red paint that displayed "False Jedi" were painted along his chest.
Aang's statue was relatively unharmed. Except, a strange red and white mask was draped over his features. A lone flag over the front of his staff was also displayed. Yet, right before Jet could get a closer look, he glanced upwards.
The strange machinery rained black dots near him. The black dots falling and colliding with the buildings as with there slam created a storm of fire and explosions. Raining down on the buildings as Jet raised his glance, seeing one impact his side…and with that…nothing.
Jet fell once again. This time falling with a grunt instead of the previous descent he had felt. This time he was within a dark area of sorts. His body feeling the cold chill. Now crunched under his palm and boots. Gust of freezing wind rifled his armor as it stabbed within his sides like knives.
He rose as the wind peppered his face. Yet, he saw something within the pitch. Even as he stood shaking as his eyes began to get used to the darkness. Two people were fighting…he could witness a woman that was fire bending as another person, dodged each blow.
The woman had a dark olive skin tone with deep black hair wrapped up in water tribe braids. She wore deep blue clothing, but she was fire bending. At first glance due to her hair and clothing Jet would've assumed that she was of water bending origin…but within a second, he was quickly shocked.
With a mixture of bending, a stone was flung towards him. The figure moved away, dodging another blow like the others. Jet with widened eyes already knew what he was witnessing. "The Avatar. No, the next one."
Jet continued as he stared ahead. Right now, he was receiving a blessing within the force. A premonition of what was going to come. He had to be observant and suck in all the information that he could.
The other figure was different. Wearing a pair of beige jedi robes. Light skin with shoulder length jet black hair. A lightsaber along his hip. Another Jedi Knight, possibly a future student…but that begged the question, why was a Jedi fighting the Avatar?
The Jedi ignited his weapon, whirling with a force augmented push that sent the Avatar careening away as her body thudded to the floor. He turned towards Jet. His lips twisting into a smirk as he stared at him. Almost like a spent computer program, he glitched and changed. Splitting in half and rearranging as Jet could only watch on.
His long beige robes swished and contorted into those of deep black armor and reddish robes. His once pure blazing beam of plasma turned into a blazing bloodshot weapon of the Sith. His smirking face contorted into one of the masks…the same mask that was strapped over the statue of Avatar Aang within Republic city.
He instinctively reached out for his lightsaber, the weapon he had built within his time during the Northern Water tribe. However, he patted the area and found it gone. Then, he looked for Master Morne's own weapon…only to find that weapon gone from his grasp.
He turned his head back towards the avatar as he saw another figure. His one with a blazing blue blade that perched over the unconscious avatar. Shielding her as the Dark Jedi advanced, his heavy white robes hard to see as he rose to advance.
Only for Jet's breath to hitch, seeing dozens of crimson blades spark to life. A whole legion, ready to battle against another lone Jedi. "The Sith, they have returned!" Jet screamed out. They compacted and split, a brilliant display of energy consuming Jet's vision as he was once again falling.
He awakened within a field that reminded him of the plains that surrounded the ruins of the Jedi Temple. His mind whirling with the thoughts of what he had just encountered. Did Ben defeat the Sith…did they all fail in their goal.
It took Jet everything he had within him to try and steel himself for whatever was coming as he whirled his head around. Then he heard it, almost like the sirens caused from those strange flying machines he whirled his body up.
It was deafening, like a massive sonic. Like being in a cave and hearing the echo travel towards you. Then he saw it, piercing through the atmosphere in a radiating blaze of fire and cinder. As it crashed along the plains as the surroundings filled with fire and burnt vegetation.
His breath stalled as he felt the uncompromising and dreadful warmth as he glanced at it. It had to be ten kilometers or more, a large greenish oval with broken pieces still in flames. But that was the least of his problems. His eyes adjusted more fully to the dimness and the desolate, plains as figures in the hundreds began to emerge.
Before he knew it, they were in front of him. He could hear the faint whirling of strange coral ships move along the sky. He could hear the bombardment of there weapons strike, cities, towns or whatever as he looked around.
Men, woman, and even children. Only wearing rags as chains and collars kept them together. The large figures in a mess of shadows herded them together like they were cattle as they led them near the ruins of there strange machine from the stars.
Just like Ben they had crashed here with no hope of ever returning home. But unlike Ben, they had decided to enslave and take the world for themselves.
Jet lurched backwards as one of the beings appeared. His breath caught within his throat, his chest rising as he lurched backwards to make more distance against this…thing!
He was a large figure. Even taller than Ben, at first glance he could look even human. Yet, it was wrong to call such a thing human. It wore deep black plate armor that encompassed everything except his face. His long talons of fingers wrapped along a strange staff in the shape of a dragon that snarled with green goo.
They riddled with spikes, ornaments…skulls from fallen foes, some even human. Jet threw out an arm to protect himself as he was able to get a good look at it's face. In a grin, it glared down at him. They had sloping, almost ridge-like foreheads with elven like pointed ears. They had short, stub-like noses, making their faces appear skull-like.
He wasn't human…another thing that was beyond the stars. Except, unlike Ben they came alone…with an army to conquer. He could hear the screams, the dark side filling the pain, and the cracking of whips. He shielded his ears as he was helpless and powerless to do anything.
But it was within these creatures that scared Jet the most…he didn't feel anything from them. It wasn't like they were immune to the force like other creatures he had heard about. Yet, they were absent within the force. There was a legion that were displayed completely in front of him, but that was him relying on his eyes than his connection to the force.
They were dead to it…
With those words, the warrior of the Yuuzhan Vong moved away from Jet. The rest bickering and screaming as they lashed out their hands towards Jet. They weren't at him. He turned around as more of a crowd began to emerge and surround him. However, it wasn't him they were pointing at.
Right behind him stood four figures. A man, two women…and a boy. The man was 6'5 and very muscular, even for his very old age and worn features. Long black hair had heavy amounts of grey that were mingled within them. He wore basic red and brown Jedi robes…but it was the weapon along his belt.
"Ben…"
The lightsabers were nearly identical. The gold of his eyes, even though he was old still shone proudly as he stared ahead at the legion of strange creatures. He looked to his side. The woman by his side was around his age, visibly worn down as she clung to his side as she stared down at the enemies.
Yet, Jet saw the woman's braid…Ty Lee. Still able to see the fire nation girl's features shine through even during old age, still a beautiful woman. But the other two were people he had never seen before or met.
The girl, a woman that looked to be within her early twenties stared at Jet. Her arms wrapped around herself as Jet took a closer look. She wore deep green heavy robes and had a lightsaber along her belt. Her brown-greyish eyes radiated with maturity and power, seeking something greater within the force as she peered ahead. Her black hair, reminiscent towards Ben was long and went down her back. But it was her power within the force…almost like seeing into the heart of it itself, a great power that surged and beckoned as her strength only grew as she battled and confronted greater threats.
The boy, possibly a couple of years older than Ben is now. Short black hair with olive skin, matching the greyish eyes of Ty Lee and what Jet assumed was his sister. Unlike the rest he was the one to wear an unorthodox pair of robes. Deep black combat robes that appeared to be like the ones Ben wore now, along his belt another blade.
Jet's breath began to hitch as he took a step back. Staring at the strange people…what was this? Is it possible that Jet was staring truthfully within the future? That all of this was going to eventually happen…why was the force showing him this!
Why didn't it not show Haru or Ben such a warning…he was still an apprentice and giving him such knowledge, only confused, and deluded him!
But it was the boy…when Jet lurched within the force to get a read on him, he crumpled to the floor. His hands outstretched to catch him as he felt his breath grew heavier. His actions, his movements, only growing strainer.
The boy…he was something else, something Jet had never felt before. His breath grew stranger, a chuckle rising from him from the pure absurdity he had just witnessed. Power, the boy was power. Jet had come across Ben, fought countless dark Jedi, and even dueled and killed a lord of the Sith. But none of them could match the power he felt when he was staring at the boy…he was stronger than Ben ever was. Even within his young age, Jet could feel the champion he was going to become.
He was power. It was like staring into the mind of the force, even then he could witness the great challenges that were going to come that were etched within his soul. The great men and woman, the conquerors and marauders that would fall by his blade.
As Jet watched them, everything began to fade away. The visions of the future, or the visons of what was going to come an inkling within the mind of a Jedi Apprentice. As the world fell into darkness one more time.
Nowhere to hide, no shelter. It fell around him, on him, saturated him…as the light of the real world started to slowly consume him.
Jet sat along a chair. His body, shaking like a horrific fever had set in. His clothes rippled with sweat as he only peered ahead at Ben. A blanket was draped over the shivering boys form as Ben had pulled up another chair across from him.
The group eagerly watched from the side of the room. "Is he…okay?" Toph asked.
Katara looked at Jet. The usually strong, cocky, and determined freedom fighter turned Jedi rarely ever shown weakness. However, she had never seen this side of Jet before.
He looked…withered away. Almost like he had fought in numerous battles, the once lifeful hazel of his dark brown eyes were now narrowed, almost like he was about to slip into sleep. "We don't know." Answered Sokka. "Ben said before that he witnessed a very powerful force vision. But I don't know what he saw."
Sokka had heard talk of visions from Ben, but he had no real clue what they had witnessed. When Ben had a vision of the future…witnessing the Siege of The North and Jet by his side as a Jedi apprentice, he was not like this. Almost like a faint unsuspected touch would cause Jet to lash out.
"Great Wars are coming…Sith so powerful."
The words Jet spoke sparked along their minds. Especially, Aang's. Another reminder that even after this battle with the fire nation and sith was over…it would either lie on him or the next iteration within the Avatar cycle to battle the forces of darkness, and to protect the balance of this world.
Aang was swiftly broken from his thoughts. Jet's words rising along the crowd as they gazed at him and the conversation taking place. "For all the evil the enemy do, they aren't dark, exactly—the enemy are entirely outside the Force."
Jet's words came out cryptic, almost concluded. Ben slowly nodded along as he heard the vison. But it was hardly making any sense to him. They had been here for over five minutes, and he deliriously rambled on about such things.
A great city, the new Jedi order, the next avatar. But they were coming out full force and with zero hesitation. Sometimes Jet's words would get lapsed, he would stare for a full minute as his hands would travel along his form. Trying to form any sort of understanding. Only to come off as nearly incoherent…and Ben himself would have to fill in the blanks.
"An enemy, that cannot feel the force." Ben tried to understand.
"No, Ben." Jet shook his head, almost like a teacher trying to lecture a student. "They were completely dead to it. Almost like they weren't even alive."
Ty Lee rose. Walking over towards the pair. "Ben is that even possible. I can feel the force in everything, an aura is in every living being."
Ben nodded along with her statement. "Yes, you are correct. Even beings that hold a strong ability to resist the force are still connected to it…"
Ben turned back towards his friend. Jet watching as Ben took a deep breath, slowly relaxing his features as he tried to produce a reassuring smile…but Ben failed at it.
"Jet, I know what you experienced was bad. But I want you to know…that a vison, especially something like this cannot be…" He hesitated as he saw the widening of Jet's eyes, the way his lips gnashed. "Trusted."
"What!" Jet snapped. His voice in a roar as he lurched up from his seat. The blanket falling by his side. "You think I'm lying about this!"
"No…no!" Ben repeated, louder for the second time to dissuade him.
Ben had grown up within the Jedi order, he had heard tales of what visions can do…they can be true blessings.
But they can also be horrific lies, beliefs within the force that can misguide the greatest of Jedi Knights. The Jedi Covenant, a league of Jedi Knights that tried to stop the next Dark Lord from rising within his old Galaxy through the use of seers and visons to guide their actions.
Yet, they were plagued by a vison so intense, just like Jet's own…so powerful that they believed they had witnessed there very own padawans turn to the Dark Side. They butchered them like animals, and they framed another Jedi by the name of Zayne Carrick.
The Padawans…and like Carrick did not go off to battle during the Wars or fall. Likewise, none of the masters would train or hold an inkling that Revan and Malak would become the next Dark Lord and apprentice. They were completely wrong. They had framed, murdered, and conspired against the galaxy and the Jedi Order…and in the end they were rewarded with nothing.
Jet, may have very well saw something truthful within his vision, possibly speaking there was a chance he had witnessed the next avatar. But how did he know it would be the one after Aang? For all they knew it could be the fifth or twelfth iteration on the cycle!
The Sith could rise again…but it could be in ten, fifty, or hundreds of years!
…but creatures that were completely dead to the force?
Ben slowly shook his head at the thought. Such a thing couldn't be true. "Jet, you must understand. This was your first vison, as someone who has studied visons before. They are rarely what you think they are…"
"Rarely." Jet repeated. "Then sometimes they are right. Sometimes they are truthful…what I saw there, Ben."
"I'm not say thing that you didn't see anything. But Jet if you rely on a vison of all things, it can lead you to dark places. Sometimes a great Jedi will have a vison, but only for it to come true many years or possibly even never come to fruition."
Jet snapped his head. Wrapping his arms around himself as he stared at his master. "Fine, possibly the creatures that I felt were not dead to the force. Maybe, everything I saw wasn't true, but we should prevent it or try to." His hand outstretched towards the window. "I witnessed a young Jedi Knight, a powerful one that would battle the avatar and take the helm of Dark Lord."
There eyes widened. "Another dark lord?" Sokka rose. "That's impossible. If Jet is saying is true, then the next avatar would be dealing with another resurgence of the Sith?"
Katara slapped her brother on the back of the head. A muffled ow rising from the warrior. "Of course, that's not. After we beat the Sith, that's it." Her dark blue eyes went towards Ben. Yet, the boy merely shuffled within his stance. "Right, Ben?" She spoke more in question.
Ben rose his head towards them. There eyes clinging to the young grandmaster. "Possibly, there have been times in which Sith resurgence were common."
"Common?" Toph repeated. "I am going to need more of an explanation."
"Yeah." Ty Lee said. "Sure, I heard before that the Sith have appeared but…"
Ben slowly nodded along. "Yeah, your right. There have been times within my old galaxy in which a dark lord or a powerful Dark Jedi would take centuries to rise. But…there have been times in which they were merely separated by decades."
"Decades!" Aang screamed.
Jet's eyes filled with terror. His heart beating along his chest as Ben went over towards him. "Jet, it's okay. This is kind of…"
"Normal!" He finished off with a yell. His hand going towards his chest as with wild brown eyes he glared at his master. "You're going to tell me that all of this, could be for nothing!"
"Jet…" Katara spoke. But only to be cut off.
"No, that can't be true. Are you going to tell me that all the work, training, that we had to do? All the lives lost, the struggle to hold onto the light, and everything else. That after all this work we may have to do the same damn thing over again!"
Jet's words dripped with bile and malice. Ben walking over towards him with both hands outstretched. "Jet, you know that isn't true. Everything we do…"
"What?" He raised the question. "Everything we do is for nothing if the Sith are just going to rise in a matter of years!" His fingers whined into two fists. "At least with the fire nation, that's it. We've won and we don't need to worry about it anymore, but…"
He screamed, but then it changed…into a laugh. A sickly laugh as tears spilled from his eyes. "What was the point of this. The struggling, the sacrifices…if everything we were going to do be reduced to ash and dust!"
"Jet, the battle between the light and the dark is eternal. I know, it sucks…but if's not us, then who is going to be?"
Jet stared at him, his master. The man who he brought back from the edge of death, the one who trained him within the force, his brother. Jet stared upon him as his heart broke.
What was going to happen when they were all dead and buried? What was going to happen to the children they would have? What was going to happen to the Jedi Order they were going to build?
In the end it would simply be destroyed by these new enemies that wished to consume them. They would be reduced to ash and dust, forgotten like the Jedi of old as their legacies would be tossed into the endless sands of time. What was the point!
Jet used his sleeve to wipe off the tears. His eyes drew towards Celeste Morne. The sacrifice she had accomplished, the sacrifice the old order of Jedi did. What was the point?
If they were merely going to be dashed away like stones in the road…if another Dark Lord or great evil would rise. What was the point of even resisting in the end?
Jet broke into more tears as he slammed the door open. Feeling the whipping wind go across his face as Ben tried to raise his hand to stop him. His body already moving forward as he felt strands of fingers go across his shoulder.
"No, Ben." Katara said. Shaking her head as she released him. "I'll go after him."
Ben was about to object but letting out a deep breath he tried to calm his mind. Right now, it would not be a good thing. Jet needed someone like Katara, someone he loved with all his heart to speak to him and comfort him.
Katara was out of the door as Ben shut the door behind the pair. Katara keeping up with Jet as she called out his name. The sun had firmly set, and the moon had rose along the horizon. The streets littered with an eerie emptiness as Katara followed Jet along the labyrinth like streets of Ba Sing Sai.
After what felt like over an hour. Jet had stopped running, stopping in front of an alleyway as he had entered it. Her breath rasped and broken as she stared at the young Jedi.
"Jet!" She screamed as her arms were on her knees. Raising her gaze as she just saw him…standing there. His back straight, his palms outstretched open as they locked along his side. "What are you doing. I know that…"
Jet's eyes snapped behind Katara. Moving forward as he ran straight towards her. With the pull of the force, he wrenched her from her original spot. "Jet, what…"
But right before she could receive an answer two massive bangs of stone echoed along her ear drums. Jet grabbed her in both hands as he leaped away from the spot. Her dark blue eyes tracing her surroundings as she saw it.
Dark black robes with strange oval like hats. She knew they weren't dark jedi…but the Dai Lee, now they were making there move. Katara and Jet both nodded to the other, knowing full well what had to happen.
Jet ignited his lightsaber. Celeste's yellow blade gripped in both of his hands as a trio of Dai Lee agents moved in towards them. Katara bended water across the floor. Only for the Dai Lee to leap overhead, but that was what Jet was looking for.
Jet traveled the weapon along one of the agents midsections. The simmering blade of yellow plasma bisected the man in two. His remains falling as Jet with his heightened force senses felt a pair of objects come towards him.
Snapping his body away he dodged the strange hand sized rocks. With an outstretched hand he whirled the lightsaber towards the agents. Utilizing telekinesis as the blade beckoned by his call, firmly implanting into the chest of one of the agents.
Yet, the other wouldn't be dissuaded. Jet not without Celeste's weapon and with no other option felt the crackling of green tendrils of force lightning. Lashing out his hand, the Dai Lee agent's eyes filling with pure terror as he felt the tendrils consume him.
Before they knew it, he was smoldering corpse. Jet whirled Celeste's lightsaber from the corpse. The weapon traveling back into Jet's hand as he turned back to face them. But it was already too late, numbering in the dozens they appeared like birds along the rooftops.
Shooting their strange hand sized rocks as they latched along their limbs. Jet and Katara, a blend of both bending and force mastery…but it wasn't enough. As the rocks latched onto there limbs they were stuck, not only before a final piece came after there eyes. With that one motion, Jet was taken aback…almost like the darkness of that vison.
Ben would find the place in the morning. Feeling the darkness that radiated within the alley and see the lightsaber marks and strikes of battle. He would kneel as his false fingers would lightly bring up the last reminder of their existence to the sun…a faded water pendant, with the sign of the Southern Water tribe.