Chapter 18 - Holocron

Edric paced around the circular room, pausing at a couple of the relics on the shelves to take a closer look. Some pulled at him through the Force, while others remained silent, their purposes lost to time. Behind him, Edwin hunched over a workbench, the quiet clicks and whirs of encryption devices punctuating his increasingly frustrated attempts to decode their father's final message.

Their meditation had changed something between them. The Force flowed differently now, carrying echoes of Edwin's emotions that Edric had never sensed before. It was as if their brief connection had awakened something dormant in their shared blood, though Edric couldn't tell if his brother was deliberately letting his guard down or if something else had shifted. They weren't exactly close—too many years and secrets stood between them for that—but it was a start. And that ought to be enough for now.

Edwin's frustration leaked through their newfound connection as another decryption attempt failed. Their father's last words had seemed straightforward enough. Edwin had been certain one of the family's encryption modules stored here would unlock the data chip's secrets. Yet each attempt only led to another dead end.

"Maybe we should let Sid take a look," Edric suggested, turning from a particularly interesting device that looked like an early lightsaber hilt, to lean against the workbench. The desk lamp cast harsh shadows across Edwin's face, deepening the lines of concentration around his eyes.

"No." Edwin's response was sharp, though Edric sensed the edge in his voice came from concern rather than anger. "These are family matters. The fewer people who know details, the better." He adjusted another setting, muttering under his breath as the device blinked red once again.

Edwin reached for another module, this one older than the others, its casing worn smooth by years of handling. With deliberate care, he inserted the data chip. The device hummed to life, its fading circuits processing the encryption. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, a soft green light pulsed across its surface. Edric watched in amazement as his brother's face transformed, a genuine smile breaking through his usual mask. It was such a rare sight that Edric thought it should be captured for posterity.

His own hands buzzing, he moved around the workbench to stand beside his brother. Their eyes met briefly, Edric catching a soft glare on his brother's pupil as they turned back to the data chip. He could almost hear their hearts pounding in both of their chests in shared anxiety like warhammers. His stomach grew restless as he wondered what they were about to see, or hear. There were so many questions swirling around in his head every waking minute, and finally there was a chance that maybe, just maybe, some can be crossed off the infinite list.

Edwin drew a steadying breath and activated the chip. The holoprojector embedded in the workbench hummed to life, its beam striking the chamber's domed ceiling. There, an elaborate array of mirrors and lenses caught and redirected the light, focusing it into the meditation circle where they had sat earlier. Their father's image materialized in the center of the room, exactly as they had last seen him on Daiyu, though this time his face carried a weight of knowledge and urgency that seemed to transcend death itself.

Seeing him standing there again, even if it was just a holograph, formed a lump in Edric's throat. He had so little time with his father, only a brief interaction that flew by faster than any ship in hyperspace above them. It seemed so unfair how the galaxy managed to pull the floor under him every chance it had gotten. No surprise he only had doubts remaining in himself.

"Edwin, I'm preparing this recording in case... in case I don't make it. You need to carry on, and for that, you need to know more than I let you in on. I know you are frustrated, I know I asked a lot from you as a father. And I haven't been always the man I should be... a man that you became in my stead."

Doran's hologram flickered slightly as he glanced down, his shoulders heavy with the weight of unspoken regrets. When he looked up again, his eyes held a new intensity.

"The holocron is on Dantooine. You'll need your brother, so make sure you find him. Two of you can open the entrance to the caves under the farm. The Force will guide you, as always." He paused, a ghost of a smile crossing his face. "Edric, if you're watching this... I'm sorry. Sorry I couldn't be there to teach you myself."

He closed his eyes, gathering his thoughts before continuing. "What I'm about to tell you... it's a truth our family has guarded for generations. The holocron contains knowledge that could reshape the very fabric of reality itself. It was created long ago by two brothers: Aren and Vorn."

Doran's image began to pace, his movements betraying his unease. "Aren was the elder by two years, patient and contemplative. He discovered a Force vergence on their homeworld so powerful it allowed him to perceive the threads of space and time itself. Through meditation, he learned to traverse the cosmos with his mind alone, understanding secrets of the Force that even the ancient Jedi had no knowledge of."

"Vorn, the younger brother..." Doran's voice softened with understanding, "he burned brighter, demanded more. He left home seeking adventure, knowledge, power. The Dark Side found him, or perhaps he found it. For decades, they walked separate paths, Aren in contemplation, Vorn in conquest. Yet they remained connected through the Force, twin stars orbiting each other across the vastness of space."

"Their journey led them to profound discoveries about the nature of reality itself, about places between places where time has no meaning. The World Between Worlds, some called it. Vorn eventually returned home, drawn by the power of the vergence his brother protected, a gateway to the heavens. Their confrontation was inevitable, but its outcome was not what either expected."

Doran's hologram paused, as if choosing his words carefully. "They fought for days, neither able to overcome the other. Light and dark, perfectly matched. Vorn, despite all the different Force abilities he learned, recognized how brilliant the light really was in his brother. In that stalemate, both finally understood a truth greater than their individual paths—true power lay not in dominance of one side over the other, but in the balance."

"Together, they decided to create the holocron to preserve their combined knowledge. Aren chose to bind his spirit within it, becoming its eternal guardian, while Vorn remained in the physical world as its protector. He gathered followers who understood the importance of balance and staying in the light, our own ancestors among them. When Vorn knew his time was ending, he entrusted our family with its safekeeping."

"The holocron holds power beyond imagination—the ability to access the World Between Worlds, to understand the very fabric of reality. But perhaps its true purpose is to teach what the brothers learned: that light and dark are not enemies to be conquered, but two faces of the Force. And while the Dark Side brings suffering, you can keep it at bay if you stay in the Light."

He stepped closer to the projection point, his expression urgent. "The Empire must never obtain this power. They would use it to ensure their dominion across all possible realities."

"My sons," his voice cracked slightly, "you must find it. Hide it. Protect it. Or if necessary... destroy it. The choice will be yours. This is why you both must be there."

Their father's image flickered once more as he looked up, almost as if he knew they were right in front of him and muttered, "May the Force be with you," before the projector turned off, the curtain of silence falling heavily on the study.

Edric's hands trembled slightly as he gripped the edge of the workbench, his mind racing to process everything they'd just learned. A laugh bubbled up from his chest, not of humor, but of that particular kind of hysteria that comes when the universe proves itself even more complicated than you'd imagined.

The relief of finally having answers quickly dissolved into a churning mess of new questions. His eyes darted to the artifacts surrounding them, wondering how many were connected to this legacy they had inherited.

Then it hit him. The parallel he couldn't ignore. The younger brother, restless, seeking adventure, turning to darkness... His gut twisted as he recognized a part of himself in Vorn's story. Hadn't he done the same? Left what he knew, rejected the path laid out for him? The darkness that constantly pulled at him suddenly felt more ominous, more inevitable. It felt like a cruel joke from the Force itself, and it made him feel even smaller than before. Was that really his path?

Leaving the Jedi Order had been one of the hardest decisions of his life, but at the time, it had felt right. Walking out of the Temple, feeling the imaginary shackles fall from his wrists, breathing in the polluted, electric air of Coruscant's night—the freedom had been intoxicating. He'd thrown himself into the depths of Level 1991, the underbelly of the galaxy's shining capital, and for a while, he'd felt alive. The underground brawling rings where he found his footing, where his size and strength stopped being something to whisper about behind his back and became something that earned him respect.

The thrill of victory had been a new kind of high, a rush that left him feeling invincible. But then… he'd look in the mirror, see his knuckles bloodied and his face hardened, and feel a twist of disgust. The lines he'd crossed, the violent path he'd walked so easily, how quickly it had taken hold of him. And then, Max. The bounty hunter had pulled him back from the edge, grounding him in a way no Jedi ever had. Max gave him a purpose, even if it was an unconventional one. He had convinced himself that helping others, even through the morally grey world of bounty hunting, was something he could live with. But he couldn't ignore that constant, quiet voice in the back of his mind. It's not the Jedi way.

The truth was, the Force had never come naturally to him. Where other Padawans connected to it like an extension of themselves, he'd fought for every inch. It had taken hours upon hours of training just to reach the level his peers had mastered with ease. He'd always been the one lagging behind, the one who had to work twice as hard to keep up. And now, standing on this razor's edge between light and dark, he felt the weight of it all.

For what? he thought bitterly. A path already laid out before him, a path someone else might have walked before, only to fall into the abyss and climb back again and again? How many times could he keep back away from the ledge before he just… didn't want to anymore? He was tired. So tired.

The fatigue sank into his bones, a weariness that went beyond the physical. It was a hollow ache, as if every struggle had chipped away at some part of him he couldn't afford to lose.

Edric took a deep, steadying breath, willing himself to sweep out the doubts gnawing at his mind. It felt like a pendulum swinging relentlessly inside him, back and forth, and he was caught in its unending arc. He had to find that fragile balance he'd glimpsed before, the one that allowed him to acknowledge the pain without being consumed by it, to feel the fear without letting it dictate his path.

It was like standing in a dark forest as a child, every shadow hiding something unknown and terrifying, yet just out of reach of the small glow of his lantern. He could stay within the circle of light, but the shadows would always be there, lurking at the edges, whispering doubts into his ear. He had to learn to live with them, to accept that the darkness would never fully go away. It was part of him, part of the world he walked through. But he didn't have to let it control him. And he had to defy fate. Even if it meant constant work, at least he knew that was one thing he could do: the grind.

His knuckles were white by the time he let his hands release the grip on the workbench. Edwin stood frozen, but Edric could sense a similar storm inside him, much more controlled than what he managed a moment before.

As they both exhaled, Edwin nodded in front of him, his face resolute. "Alright," he said, his voice low but steady. "There's a lot to unpack there, but we can't sit around processing. We have work to do." He glanced around the room, his gaze thoughtful. "Dad mentioned a cave system. That means there's an entrance somewhere nearby."

Edwin closed his eyes, raising his hands as if feeling for something beyond the physical. His fingers stretched out, and he moved slowly, turning in place as though tuning into a distant frequency. Edric watched with a curious brow raised, until Edwin's eyes snapped open, his gaze locking onto a seemingly unremarkable patch of wall right behind Edric.

"There," Edwin said, pointing. "There's something hidden, but it's locked with the Force. I'll need your help to open it. Just like Dad said." He looked at Edric, his expression serious. "Are you ready?"

Edric nodded, stepping up beside him. Together, they faced the wall, focusing their senses on the spot Edwin had pointed out. Edric reached out with the Force, searching for any sign of a mechanism or energy field. He felt…something? A faint resonance, like an echo or a vibration—a lock, but one deeply woven with the Force itself.

He focused, willing it to open, but it resisted, like a door that wouldn't budge. He glanced at Edwin, who was already pulling at the same spot with his own Force connection, his face etched in concentration.

"Together," Edwin murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.

Edric nodded, aligning his efforts with his brother's. They synchronized their focus, their combined strength pressing against the barrier in unison. The lock held for a moment longer, resisting their push, and then, almost like it had been waiting for them to understand each other, it clicked open with a subtle, satisfying pulse.

A section of the wall shimmered and then faded away, revealing a narrow passageway that sloped down into the earth, its walls thick with overgrown moss. The brothers stood at the threshold, peering down into what seemed to be nothing but blackness. Edric drew his lightsaber from its hidden compartment, activating the yellow blade and holding it up to see the stairs leading further underground. The wet stone steps caught the light, scattered pinpoints reflecting back like a field of stars beneath their feet.

Other than the physical dread of going into an unwelcoming cave, a chill ran up Edric's spine as something in the Force tugged at him. Like fingers brushing against his skin, enticing and tempting with… unthinkable power?

"I have a bad feeling about this," he muttered, his grip tightening on his saber.

"You keep saying that, little brother," Edwin replied, though Edric noticed his hand hadn't strayed far from his own weapon. "Sometimes though, you're even right."

Edric took the first step down, each footfall echoing in the narrow space. The light from the study above gradually faded until only his lightsaber guided them. The walls gave way from artificial ones to natural rock faces, the moss retreating into deep crevices that spider-webbed through the ancient stone. The air grew thick with the scent of mud, yet there was a freshness to it as if it had not been inhaled by a living being for centuries.

When they reached the bottom of the stairs, a strange sense of deja vu surrounded Edric that made him stop in his tracks. The cave became different—countless crystals of various sizes protruded from the walls like frozen flames, each emitting a soft glow illuminating the path against the bright light of his weapon. In an instant, he was transported back to his trials on Ilum, The Gathering where he obtained the crystal to the very lightsaber he held in his hand. As if the device's heart heard his thoughts, a soft pulse tickled his grip from the hilt, the crystal inside coming alive to greet its siblings.

"It's just like on Ilum," Edric observed. "I think these are kyber crystals." He stepped closer to the wall on his left, deactivating his lightsaber to allow the crystals to light their way. They had a slow beat to them, like millions of hearts pulsing together. He reached out towards one with a hand, but knew better than to touch. Closing his eyes, Edric tried to feel the Force around them. It was everywhere. But there was a clear path… a bright avenue in the Cosmic Force towards something deeper within the caves. He could see it all in his mind's eye, pathways twisting like the root system of the Tree of Life on Kashyyyk.

The sound of Edwin's steps pulled Edric back to reality as his brother scanned the crystals on the other side. "Father never brought me down here. I knew there were caves, but this..." Edwin palms reached out to one of the crystals but stopped just short, his hand hovering near its surface. "The Force is... different here."

"I know which way to go," Edric said, nodding towards the main flight. They pressed forward, their path illuminated by the crystals' ethereal light. The tunnel branched repeatedly, creating a maze that would have been impossible to navigate by sight alone. But the Force pulled at Edric, sometimes gentle, sometimes urgent, guiding their steps through the labyrinth, helping them avoid dead-ends.

When they veered slightly off course, the air would grow thick and heavy, the Force rippling with discordant energy until they corrected their path. It was like walking a tightrope, with traps waiting on either side.

As they crossed a larger chamber, voices began to echo through the tunnels. Some were distant whispers, others felt close enough to touch, almost whistling in Edric's ear. He heard his father's voice—not the tired, burdened man they had seen, but younger, laughing. A deep belly laugh, that made Edric long for the years lost.

Then, another voice joined in. Softer, musical, almost like a lullaby threading through the air. Her words were just out of reach, yet the warmth in her tone was unmistakable. The mere sound of it washed over him, filling him with an inexplicable sense of safety, of home.

"Mom?" Edwin's voice cracked slightly. Edric glanced at his brother, seeing raw emotion flash across his face before being carefully contained again. It was her voice.

As if it had unlocked something within him, Edric felt a surge of images, flashes of a woman with a face blurred by time. Her hair catching the sunlight, strands glinting gold as they danced in the breeze. He remembered the gentle rhythm of a lullaby, the comforting sway as she rocked him, her voice lulling him towards sleep.

His throat tightened, a painful lump forming as the memory slipped away again, dissolving like mist. He hadn't known her, not truly, but the loss of her hurt all the same. It was a grief without shape, for something he had never fully possessed.

"Do you remember her?" he asked, his voice barely more than a whisper, afraid to break the fragile spell woven by their mother's ghostly voice.

Edwin's gaze softened, his eyes distant. "Yes. Just bits and pieces. I remember her singing... especially on stormy nights. She'd keep me close, whispering that the thunder was just the sky talking." He shook his head, a faint, wistful smile on his lips. "Dad always called it nonsense, but she'd just laugh. That laugh…"

"She sounds... wonderful," Edric murmured, not trusting his voice not to crack. It was a bitter thought, knowing she was forever out of reach, just an echo in this forgotten place.

Edwin nodded, his eyes misting over before he quickly blinked the emotion away. "She was. And I think... she'd be proud of you, Edric."

The words struck him like a blow, reverberating through his chest. He'd never thought about what his mother would think of him. In truth, he'd barely allowed himself to think of her at all, as if she were just some figment, a distant dream. And why would he as a Jedi? You are not a Jedi, he reminded himself again. But hearing Edwin say it, with such quiet certainty, brought a strange comfort. For a fleeting moment, he felt as if she were here, watching over them both.

"Come on," Edwin said softly. "Let's keep moving."

Other voices joined the chorus around them as they continued—some seemed familiar, others strange and ancient. A rhythmic chant of unknown songs, they came from everywhere and nowhere, their words overlapping into an overwhelming cacophony. Edric caught only fragments: "...the balance must be maintained..." "...protect the knowledge..." "... light and dark..."

As they descended further, the voices grew louder, a crescendo of warning, or perhaps of purpose. It felt as if they were walking through a river of sound, each voice a current tugging at their minds. Then, as they rounded a final corner, they entered a vast chamber—and everything went silent. The voices cut off abruptly, dissolving into an almost oppressive stillness, leaving only the low hum of the planet itself, as if Dantooine were holding its breath.

The chamber before them was unlike the narrow paths they had passed through. It was vast and endless, the walls riddled with large crystals, each the size of the brothers. The surface of some were engraved with symbols Edric didn't recognize, but they seemed to pulse faintly with energy, like veins of light woven into the rock.

At the center of the room stood a simple stone altar, weathered and chipped with age. Its surface bore spiraling markings that drew the eye inward, leading to a single point above it where a bright object hovered, suspended in mid-air. It was small, almost unassuming at first glance, but as Edric's gaze settled on it, he felt its pull—a quiet yet undeniable gravity, as though it had a life of its own. The Force surged around it, stronger than anything he'd ever experienced. It was shaped like a tiny pyramid, its edges glowing in scarlet, the rest of its faces as bright a blue as the sky outside. The two colors seemed to be swirling into each other, never completely mixing.

He took one step towards it when a presence crashed through the Force like a tidal wave of black goo. Edric's breath caught in his throat as he heard footsteps behind them. This can't be, he thought as he and Edwin both spun around in unison, the latter igniting his green lightsaber instantly. A figure approached, its silhouette almost shedding the darkness like overfilling ink.

"My young Padawan," Kael's voice sliced through the chamber, and Edric's heart stopped. The words were familiar, but wrong, like hearing a beloved song played in the wrong key. Each syllable carried an unnatural chill that made the crystals around them dim slightly, as if recoiling from Kael Asher.

"Thank you. You've led me right to it," Kael continued. "Just as I knew you would."

"Master...?" The word escaped Edric's lips before he could stop it, small and broken, like a child calling out in the dark. His mouth ran dry and out of nowhere fear tightened around his ribs. The man before them wore his master's face, spoke with his voice, but everything else—the amber eyes, the twisted smile, the darkness rolling off him in waves—belonged to a stranger. An enemy.

Edwin's voice cut through Edric's paralysis. "How did you find us?"

Kael snorted, a short, cutting sound that made Edric's insides twist. "Oh, it was surprisingly easy. You didn't think I'd let you slip away without a leash, did you?" He let the silence hang for a beat, savoring their realization. "A tracker on your ship. Now... hand over the holocron."

"In your dreams, Inquisitor." Edwin spat the title like poison.

Edric barely registered how his hands trembled, fingers curling into fists as his mind spun. This was no longer the mentor he had grown up with, who was a father to him. Just an Inquisitor who killed Doran Kane and was hellbent on a quest to power. The rage that had been simmering deep inside Edric finally burst free, hot and searing, cutting through the paralyzing fear like a lightsaber.

"Why?" he demanded, his voice choking with raw emotion, making him nauseous . "Why are you doing this? You betrayed the Order for what? To serve the Empire? To become a puppet—"

"I am no puppet!" Kael's roar shook dust from the ceiling as he cut Edric off, his careful composure cracking like thin ice, revealing his true nature for all to see. The darkness around him exploded, making Edric's skin crawl. "And you! You lecture me about betrayal? When you were the one who abandoned me? Left me to rot in that tank while you ran off to play hero in the gutter?"

The earth shook as his words reverberated around them. Kael's accusation hit Edric like a physical blow, driving the air from his lungs.

"I didn't know..." Edric whispered, more to himself than to anyone, but the words felt hollow even to his own ears. Behind his eyes, he saw his master lying in that bacta tank, floating between life and death while he ran away to a new life. But there was nothing in the Force then. Or was he too weak to sense it?

Kael's expression shifted, his eyes narrowing with something like pity, or perhaps contempt. "Of course you didn't," he said softly, his voice almost gentle, a remnant of his past self, and that was somehow worse than his rage. "We were both blind, Edric. Blinded by the Jedi's arrogance. By their hypocrisy." His gaze slid to the holocron floating behind them, the artifact pulsing with an energy both ancient and dangerous. "But with that… I can end their legacy of failure. Vader is nothing more than a lapdog, and Palpatine… he's a fool. The Jedi and the Sith are relics of a broken system. I have the vision to reshape this galaxy in my image. To bring order. Prosperity."

"You can't be serious..." Edric was drowning, each revelation pulling him deeper under dark waters. This was the man who had taught him about peace, about wisdom, about protecting the innocent. Now he spoke of reshaping reality itself with the casual certainty of someone who had long since justified their madness to themselves. What hurt Edric more was that Kael's words didn't feel like a twisted version of his beliefs. They sounded like the same views, warped and darkened until they were unrecognizable.

"Mind your feelings, Edric. Remember what I showed you, brother," Edwin said quietly, his tone understanding, like Master Asher's used to be. It still felt like something a Jedi would have said, yet Edric knew it was genuine worry from Edwin.

Kael took a step forward, his eyes blazing. "The Jedi talk of balance, but all they did was stagnate. They allowed the Republic to decay, let corruption fester. I will not make their mistakes." He extended a hand, his voice low and persuasive. "Join me, Edric. You know I'm right. Together, we can be the balance this galaxy needs. We can change the course of history. You can be anything or anyone. Not shackled by outdated ideals, but freed to act. Freed to bring real change."

Edric's composure faltered, his mind reeling. The Force around him swirled, dark and suffocating, tugging at the anger and bitterness within him. A part of him—small, frightened, desperate—wanted to believe Kael's words. To believe that maybe, just maybe, this was the answer to his struggles, to the doubts that had haunted him since he'd left the Order. That he could change everything.

Edric's mind drowned in the roaring fire of his own rage, his thoughts extinguished by the fierce, blazing heat that flooded his veins. He didn't think when he launched himself at Kael, his yellow lightsaber igniting with a blinding flash as he brought it down in a furious arc. His scream tore through the chamber, primal, raw, almost as if the Force itself was venting its anger through him.

Kael's crimson blade sprang to life just in time, intercepting Edric's blow with a shower of sparks. The impact sent a shockwave rippling outwards, clearing the dust from the chamber floor and rattling loose stones in the walls. Kael's twisted smile only widened, his eyes gleaming with amusement as he absorbed the ferocity of Edric's assault.

"Yes, that's it!" Kael sneered, his voice dripping with approval. "Let it all out! Let the hatred fill you, guide you! This is who you truly are, Edric!"

But Edric barely heard him. He slashed, struck, and lunged, each movement an expression of the fury he could no longer contain. He felt his muscles strain as he bore down on Kael with strike after strike, his yellow blade blurring with speed and force. Kael deflected each blow, but he did so almost lazily, his stance casual, his expression mocking, as though humoring a child throwing a tantrum.

"Is this what the Jedi taught you? To unleash your anger like an animal?" Kael taunted chuckling, his own red blade humming as it flicked effortlessly to the side, parrying another wild swing from Edric. "Do you see now, my young apprentice, how much stronger you could be if you embraced this power fully?"

Edric's eyes burned, his vision tunneling as his attacks grew even more ferocious. Every word from Kael stoked his rage further, and his strikes came harder, faster, until he was practically battering Kael's saber with all his strength, his movements fueled by nothing but instinct and raw emotion. He could feel the darkness Kael spoke of beckoning to him, whispering promises of strength, of freedom from doubt, of vengeance.

But then a pull from an invisible hand sent him flying back from his former master, allowing his brain to catch up to his emotions.

"Edric, listen to me!" Edwin's voice cut through the fog of Edric's rampage. "This isn't you. Is this really the path you want? You might think giving in to rage will make you strong, but it'll only shackle you," he pleaded with his brother. "Kael wants you to lose yourself, Edric. Don't let him. Think about what you're fighting for. The people you've helped. Max, Lyra, Sid."

Kael's laughter echoed through the chamber, rich with disdain. "Ah, the ever-loyal brother," he smirked, glancing over at Edwin with a twisted smile. "Always so righteous. But you'll see soon enough, Edric, he's just holding you back. The Jedi were holding you back. Look at what you're capable of now. Imagine the power you could wield, the freedom you could taste, if you abandoned their chains!"

But Edwin's words settled over Edric, cooling the raging fire within him just enough to regain a sliver of control. He thought of Lyra's laugh, the way her eyes had sparkled over their shared meal just days ago. He pictured her beautiful smile, Max's steady hand on his shoulder, his wry grin, and sarcastic quips that somehow made everything more upbeat. And Sid's smirk as he showed off the latest tweaks he'd made to the Beast, his unshakeable enthusiasm and boundless curiosity. His brother, his family on that vessel, it was why he was still going.

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, reaching deep within himself to find his sanctuary. The vision of it bloomed in his mind, a field of tall grass under a bright, golden sun. It was more vivid, more real than it had ever been in his life, as if it, too, sensed how much he needed its peace right now. A tear traced its way down his sweat-streaked cheek as he allowed himself to feel everything —the hatred and rage, the crushing disappointment in his master and himself, the bitterness towards the Jedi Order, the frustration with a galaxy that seemed so broken.

He let it all wash over him, let the weight crush him, let it go through him. It was no longer something he feared, it was part of life. In that moment, he felt an overwhelming sense of peace, like being cradled in the arms of the Force itself. And in the distance, on the horizon of his sanctuary, he saw two figures. They were hazy at first, shadows against the golden light. But as they drew closer, he recognized them. His parents walked through the tall grass toward him, eyes gleaming with pride.

He opened his eyes, feeling grounded, anchored. His hands no longer trembled, his breath was steady, and the intense fire of his rage had cooled to a steady, controlled flame on a candle. Edric glanced at Edwin and gave him a subtle nod. Relief flickered across his brother's face, a silent acknowledgment that Edric had finally regained control.

Kael on the other hand sensed the shift in Edric's emotions, and his sneer turned to a snarl. "So, you still cling to your delusions," he hissed, leaping with renewed ferocity. His crimson blade arced through the air toward Edric. Before it could connect, Edwin intercepted the blow, their sabers colliding in a flurry of sparks.

The chamber filled with the crackling hum of clashing lightsabers as Edwin and Kael exchanged rapid, brutal strikes. Edric shifted into the Djem So stance, his focus razor-sharp, waiting for the right moment to join the fray. When Kael's attention momentarily faltered, Edric surged forward, adding his yellow blade to the assault.

Together, Edric and Edwin pressed Kael, forcing him to split his attention, his movements growing slightly more strained as he attempted to fend them both off. They fought as a seamless pair, dividing Kael's focus and chipping away at his defenses with relentless precision.

For a moment, Edric felt a spark of hope. They were pushing him back, finding the smallest cracks in his technique. If they could just keep up the pressure, they might actually have a chance.

But Kael's fury only intensified. "I don't have time for this!"

In an instant, his free hand crackled with dark energy, and arcs of lightning shot out, streaking toward Edwin.

"Look out!" Edric shouted, but it was too late. The lightning struck Edwin square in the chest, flinging him across the room like a ragdoll. He hit the wall with a sickening thud and crumpled to the floor, his lightsaber clattering away as he lay motionless.

"No!" Edric screamed, his voice breaking. Rage licked his ribs again, but this time he held it in check, using it to help his resolve rather than consume him.

Kael turned back to him, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "You're next, Padawan."

Edric barely had time to raise his saber before Kael was upon him, each strike landing with punishing force.

Edric fought back with everything he had, blocking and parrying as best he could, but Kael's relentless assault was overwhelming. Each blow drove him backward, forcing him to retreat until his back was nearly against the chamber wall. With a final surge, Kael thrust his hand forward, unleashing a powerful Force push that sent Edric sprawling across the floor.

Pain shot through Edric's body as he hit the ground, but he forced himself to get up to all fours, allowing a second to gather his strength. Just as he steadied himself, he felt a sudden, constricting force around his wrists and ankles. He looked down in horror to see sharp, crystalline formations wrapping around his limbs from the ground, binding him to the spot. He struggled, but the crystals only tightened, digging into his skin.

"Master Asher... please," Edric managed to say, his voice strained. "You don't have to do this. "If there's anything left of the man you were, let this go. You don't have to become this... monster."

But Kael did not show any sign of emotion, only had cold words. "You're too late, Edric. Power is the only way to achieve peace. And now that power is mine."

Edric's former master walked to the center of the room, reached out and seized the holocron from its altar. It pulsed in his grip, casting an eerie red glow across his face as if the darkness within was responding to him, feeding him. No, Edric screamed inside.

"Goodbye, my young Padawan," Kael turned and strode out of the chamber.

As Kael's footsteps faded into the depths of the cave, Edric noticed the crystals around him had lost their faint glow, as if drained of life. With a deep breath, he summoned strength into his arms and broke the crystalline shackles around his wrists with a sharp grunt. His lightsaber hilt flew into his outstretched hand, and with a swift strike, he shattered the bindings around his ankles.

Without wasting a second, he hurried to Edwin's side. His brother lay motionless, his face pale in the dim light. Edric's heart skipped a beat, but then he saw the steady rise and fall of Edwin's chest, and relief flooded him. He knelt down, tapping Edwin's bearded cheeks with the back of his fingers.

"Edwin, come on, wake up!" he urged, his voice laced with urgency.

Edwin stirred, his eyes flickering open, unfocused at first. Slowly, they sharpened, finding Edric's face hovering over him.

"What... what happened?" Edwin's voice was groggy, laced with pain. "Is he…?"

"He's gone," Edric replied, his voice tight. He looked down, unable to meet Edwin's gaze. "He took the holocron."

For a moment, silence hung between them, heavy and bitter. The weight of their failure pressed down on Edric's shoulders, his mind replaying every second of their encounter with Kael, knowing he should have controlled himself. But they had to move on.

Edwin's hand reached up and Edric helped his brother up, clasping Edric's shoulder. "We're not done yet, little brother. We'll get it back."

Edric nodded, acknowledging the pain of disappointment, but not letting it overcome his thoughts. There were still things to do. "Then let's move. The others might be in trouble too," he added.

Together, they started back through the winding tunnels, their steps echoing off the stone walls as they made their way back to the surface.

As Edric and Edwin finally ascended the last of the winding stairs, a sense of relief washed over Edric, tempered only by the exhaustion gnawing at his bones. The faint light filtering down from above grew brighter, until they finally emerged into the farmhouse.

Edric blinked as his eyes adjusted to the daylight, his senses still buzzing from the confrontation with Kael.

Just as they reached the top step, a blaster clicked, and Edric's heart lurched.

"Don't move!" Lyra's voice cut through the air, sharp and steady.

Edric threw his hands up instinctively, his pulse racing. Lyra stood in the middle of the room, her blaster trained on him and Edwin. Behind her, Max and Sid had also raised their weapons, though their expressions were more relieved than tense.

"Lyra, wait! It's us!" Edric managed to say, his voice still breathless.

Realization dawned on her face, and her blaster lowered immediately. In the next heartbeat, she was rushing forward, throwing her arms around Edric. He stumbled back slightly from the force of her embrace, but he quickly returned it, feeling her warmth and steady presence anchor him after the chaos below.

"Stars, Edric, I thought… I thought you might not come back," she whispered, her voice thick with relief.

"Sorry to disappoint you," he murmured, giving her a weary grin as he held onto her tightly for a few seconds before they pulled away. She punched her in the shoulder for the quip.

After they separated, Max stepped forward, holstering his blaster. "Hate to break up the reunion, but we've got problems. Imperials showed up not long after you two went underground."

"What happened?" Edwin asked, his voice still rough from the fight.

"Stormtroopers," Sid piped up, his usual enthusiasm dampened but not extinguished. "Whole squad of them. Had us pinned down at the landing pad for a while." He patted his drone affectionately, the little device hovering by his shoulder. "But they didn't count on this little guy having a few tricks up his sleeve."

"Or the kid being crazy enough to modify it with a stun blast function," Max added, shooting Sid a mix of pride and exasperation. "Thing took out three troopers before they knew what hit them."

"Created enough chaos for us to break free and get to our weapons," Lyra continued, her hand still resting on Edric's arm. "But then we saw your old master. He came tearing out of here like he had a rancor on his tail." Her eyes searched Edric's face.

"He took the holocron," Edric confirmed quietly, his gut twisting. "We couldn't stop him."

"It was here? Wow, okay. Your old master was too fast," Max said, shaking his head. "By the time we'd dealt with the remaining troops, he'd already made it to his ship. Disappeared into hyperspace before we could even think about following."

Edric felt the weight of failure pressing down on him again, but Lyra's grip on his arm tightened slightly. And somehow that made it alright. "Hey," she said softly, "we're all still alive. That's something."

"She's right," Edwin added, straightening despite his obvious pain. "And we know what he wants now. He also has no idea how to open the holocron. Remember the story? That gives us an advantage."

Edric looked around at them all—his brother, his friends, his... whatever Lyra was becoming to him. They were right. This wasn't over. Not by a long shot.

"Well then," he said, managing a tired smile, "I guess we better figure out where he's headed next."

"I might be able to help with that," Sid said, raising up a tiny device in his hand. The tracker.

**Author's note**

Oh boy, this was a tough one, but fun at that! I know it's a longer one than usual and quite the rollercoaster too. I was really looking forward to writing this chapter, and while it was also one of the hardest one I've done so far in this story, it still was fun to do.

Anyway, I hope you like it! We have one more very special chapter left in Part 2 :)

Thanks for reading as always and if you have some time, please let me hear your feedback via a review or you can shoot me a DM too!