The Frozen Force

by Sparks-Gavilan

(5 Seasons/ Season 6 Debuts Friday, February 7th) The Republic has fallen and the Galactic Empire has risen to take its place. The survivors of the Jedi Order are being hunted to the brink of extinction. Now, Anna and Elsa must take another stand. Join the sisters as they search for purpose in a changed galaxy and discover what it means to find hope again.

28. Chapter 28 - Showdown

Chapter: 28 Showdown

"To know thyself is to step into your power."

Sisters across the stars! Padawans Anna and Elsa Dellian have embarked on their own paths across the galaxy. While Anna battled her way through the Corellian Cup's preliminary round, she made a difficult decision to leave a friend behind. Fellow competitor Surk Vogan sacrificed his spot in the finals to Tori Vica so she could advance. Tensions are high between both master and apprentice as the finals approach. Meanwhile, on the mysterious jungle world of Felucia, Elsa finds herself lost on her expedition to uncover an ancient truth...

A throbbing headache was the first sensation to return to Elsa. When she moved to address it, she felt a slimy substance drip down her arm. As her eyes slowly opened, Elsa found herself cradled in a plant's fungal ooze. She peered up to examine just how far she'd fallen from the cliffside. Vines the size of tree trunks swayed across the pit overhead as she cautiously rose. "P-d-an," her comlink crackled in the slime. "E-a." She wriggled herself free while some of the mush dripped from her disheveled locks. With a dreadful gulp, Elsa reached into the goop and felt for her comlink. Her anxiety had her fearing a creature would pop out and take her hand...or the entire plant would chomp down on her. Seeds, leaves, and sedimentary minerals swirled about in the gunk as Elsa clasped her comlink. "C-me i-, El-. D- -ou r-d?"

Elsa rolled out of the plant and grimaced as her robes dripped with fungal fluids. Rather than pluck a dry leaf off a living lifeform, Elsa scavenged a dead fern and used it to wipe her comlink. "Els-? Pl-se r-spond," Yelena's voice emerged clearer.

"I'm here, master." Elsa replied.

"I re-d yo- Pada-an. But your sp-akers so-nd d-maged."

"You can thank Felucia's plantlife for that one," Elsa joked while scanning her environment for a way back up. She thought she was observing a boulder when the leathery mass started to shift. "Among other things," the Padawan worried.

"Els-?" Yelena called. "Wha-'s -ing on?"

"I'll call you back," Elsa replied and hurriedly shut her comlink off. She slid behind a splintered log as the titanic creature rose from the soil. Aching, wounded, but far from dead, the bull rancor observed its surroundings. Elsa could sense the creature's stinging pain from where she'd stabbed its mouth. A jagged, cauterized scar bent as it chomped its jaws. Seeing the wound made Elsa reach for her weapon in preparation. Her heart sank and eyes widened when she realized the clip on her belt was empty. "No," she whispered and scoured the ground from cover. "Where did it...How could I..." She swallowed hard and imagined her lightsaber sinking into the slimy underbelly of the plant she'd escaped.

The bull rancor's ominous sniffs made Elsa's blood run cold. She really wished she'd kept the gunk on her to mask her scent, but the rancor had already caught it. The beast's dreadful stomps made the ground quake as Elsa crawled into the log. She remained as still as possible while the creature loomed above her. Globs of the rancor's saliva splattered against the top of the log as Elsa crunched herself into a ball. As the predator sniffed about, she suddenly felt a peculiar itching sensation around her ankles. Elsa glanced down to see a swarm of centipedes crawling up her legs. While she tried to remain calm and one with nature, the final straw was feeling a plump roach skitter across her hand. Elsa shrieked impulsively and rolled to get the insects off of her. The noise caught the rancor's attention as one of its grimy tusks impaled the log. Elsa glimpsed the outside world as the beast dug into her hiding spot. As it roared and raised a claw to strike, a yellow-marked being sprung atop the severed log.

The Felucian chieftain raised his glowing staff to catch the rancor's attention. It snarled and prepared to charge him. "No!" Elsa warned and sprung up to help.

The chieftain raised a cautious hand to her, as if reassuring it would be alright. Elsa winced and braced for the worst while the rancor closed in. I can't just sit here and let this happen, Elsa thought. It's going to pulverize him! Once the creature was close enough, the chieftain dropped his staff and held up both hands. His four, suction-cupped digits twitched as Elsa sensed something familiar. Wait, she realized. Is that...Is he using the..."

The rancor's roar became a growl as the chieftain dared to touch its face. When he did so, it was as if the Felucian was experiencing the same sensations endured by the bull rancor. Both grunted in pain and clutched their face as if Elsa had stabbed them both. The chieftain spoke soothingly in his native, guttural tongue. With each passing word, the once horrifying rancor became calmer. The chieftain pet its head until the creature appeared domesticated. Elsa was utterly shocked when the rancor that'd tried to slaughter them both decided to lounge about. As she sat in disbelief, the chieftain recovered his staff and leapt to her.

Elsa raised her hands in surrender as he brought its tip to her neck. "I mean you no harm," she whispered and hoped he understood Galactic Basic. "I was trying to save you." She gasped when he swiped his staff across her shoulder. Only then did she realize he'd plucked a nasty-looking arthropod from her robes. He gestured to the insect's lethal pincers, shook his head, and flung it into the bushes. "I suppose that's twice you've saved me now," Elsa admitted while looking at the docile rancor. "That was incredible. You're Force-sensitive, aren't you?" The chieftain's blank stare and hollow eyes left Elsa with a sinking feeling in her chest. She smiled awkwardly and kept to herself. I'm still unsure if he understands me or not, Elsa thought. What would a Jedi Consular do? I'm sure they have to go to planets where Basic isn't the standard language.

It seemed like the chieftain was going through a similar thought process. He pressed his webbed hands to his chest and said, "Dalvamek."

Elsa did her best to properly pronounce his name while pointing at him. "Dal-va-mek," she said. The Jungle Felucian was impressed by her ability to replicate his raspy accent...even if it did ravage her throat. She pat her chest and said, "Elsa."

"El-sssa," the chieftain hissed and gestured to her hands. She could feel the Force pulsing between her and the chieftain. She demonstrated her ability by lifting a nearby stone and brought it towards Dalvamek. She mostly expected him to catch it in midair and was left standing awkwardly when he didn't. The rock plopped into the mud as he stared at his empty digits.

"Sorry," Elsa said. "I thought we were-" With a quick swing of his arm, the chieftain threw Elsa's lightsaber out from his pouch. Relief overwhelmed her as she gladly clipped the weapon back to her belt. "Thanks," she told him. When she looked up, Dalvamek was scurrying on all fours towards a towering stalk. "Where are you going?"

The chieftain simply touched the stalk and its leaves pulled back at his command. He proceeded to scoop up a stationary water drop from within and walked over. It was a gigantic bubble as big as Elsa's head and Dalvamek tried to hold it steady. He beckoned Elsa closer as she raised a curious brow. He pointed at the bubble as if telling her to look into it. "I don't get it," Elsa admitted. "Is something inside the-" Once she was close enough, Dalvamek splashed the bubble across her face. "Hey!" Elsa snapped. "What was that for-...oh." Elsa's skin rapidly absorbed the peculiar water, which left her feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. "On second thought...more please." While he didn't understand the Padawan, her waving hands were enough to make him scoop up a second bubble. She merrily quenched her thirst with it while Dalvamek had one of his own.

As Elsa gratefully sipped on the bubble, she noticed Dalvamek starting to tremble. She sensed a disturbance within him and instantly dropped her refreshment. "Are you alright?" she asked while thinking, Don't tell me that plant was poisonous. She started to reach for her breathing mask and checked for spores around her. The chieftain's convulsions stopped as he turned towards the pit's darker recesses. It was if something was luring him down there on an invisible leash as he shoved past Elsa. "Dalvamek?" Elsa worried. He seemed to partially snap out of it upon hearing his name. He looked to Elsa and motioned for her to join him in the darkness.

Elsa nervously bit her lip and contemplated what to do. She considered how the farmer near their landing zone had spoken about something tainting their crops. Perhaps whatever was affecting them had something to do with Dalvamek too. She gave the chieftain a nod and followed him towards the bull rancor. Elsa watched in amazement as he manipulated the beast into tilting its head towards him. He then extended a hand to Elsa and helped her onto its hunched back. She and the chieftain held on to one another for balance as the bull rancor rose. Dalvamek kept one hand gently pressed against the creature's scaly temple and guided it forward.

Elsa sat back, activated her comlink, and scrubbed out the remaining globs of goop within it. "Master Yelena," she called.

"Padawan. Thank the Force, you're alive. Are you hurt?"

"I'm alright," Elsa assured. "Though I'm not certain where I'm headed."

"BD-1 can track your frequency," Yelena answered. "We're working our way down the pit safely. We can't all hurl ourselves down with a rancor, you know."

Elsa snickered at the comment. "Speaking of which, I'm kind of...riding it."

There was a long pause. "Excuse me?" Yelena blurted.

"I'm with the Jungle Felucian chieftain," Elsa explained. "He was able to tame the beast with the Force!" The Padawan's giddiness had Dalvamek glancing back in bewilderment. He wondered if she was talking to him or herself. "While he can accomplish such a feat, I noticed he wasn't able to lift any objects."

"Force sensitivity comes in many forms," Master Cordova joined the call. "I've heard stories of Jungle Felucians becoming particularly attuned to the Living Force. If what you described about the rancor is true, the chieftain is using animal kinship. It's very fascinating!"

"Well I for one am so happy to hear you think so!" Yelena replied with her sarcasm set to maximum overdrive. "Elsa, you have no idea what this chieftain's intentions are. Where are you going with him?"

"I sense something is affecting him," Elsa replied. "Just like what's harming the crops outside the forest. Something else is at work here."

"We have the clues to continue our investigation," Yelena assured.

"And it would feel immensely selfish to leave this planet knowing we could've helped the Felucians," Elsa retorted. "I waited weeks to look into my dream. What's a little longer? Master Cordova told that farmer we'd 'take a look' for her, so that's all I'm doing. Our Order may be teeming with hypocrisy, but I'm not contributing to it."

"Elsa," Yelena sighed. "You have the eloquence and tenacity to make a great Consular one day...but right now you're doing a number on my blood pressure."

Elsa simpered. "If stress is what it takes to bring about change-" she answered. "-so...be it?" As the rancor trekked deeper into the darkness, dozens of Felucian heads poked out from the foliage. Their hands reached up from decaying soil as they wailed to their chieftain. Dalvamek hung his head remorsefully at the sight of his ailing people. Other tamed rancors could be seen with their riders in the mist, leading Elsa to confirm more tribe members were Force-sensitive. The bull rancor came to a halt and lowered an arm so its passengers could slide off. Elsa watched Dalvamek embrace and interlock tendrils with his sickly people. So many empty eyes fell upon Elsa as she quietly traversed the encampment. A prominent heaviness overwhelmed her. The sickening sense of despair and disgust left her slouching her shoulders.

"Shakor," one of the Felucians uttered and pointed at Elsa. "Shakor." Suddenly, countless other joined in the same chant while Dalvamek ushered Elsa forward.

"Um, masters?" Elsa called in. "Any idea what this means?" She held up her comlink while walking.

"Shakor," Cordova repeated. "My Jungle Felucian isn't what it used to be...but I believe they're saying shadow."

"Shadow?" Elsa inquired while the chanting persisted. The Felucians stomped their feet and raised their clubs in unison. As Elsa followed Dalvamek, she soon realized the shouting wasn't directed at her. The thick foliage dispersed and revealed a throne overlooking a gaping sinkhole. The seat was comprised of mossy stone and scavenged animal bones. Elsa would've thought it was the chieftain's seat, until she saw a pair of severed Felucian heads mounted on pikes. Flies swarmed around each head as even Dalvamek seemed afraid of whomever sat at the throne. Other Felucians cowered before their ruler and threw rotted flesh and fungus on an offering heap.

One of the Felucians got too close to throne, and a boot shoved him away. The sight of such abuse made Elsa scowl and stare at the oppressor's hand. His dark knuckles tensed as he gripped the bony armrest and hummed deeply. One of his lanky legs swung over the side as the rest of his body lurched forward. He didn't bother showing Elsa his face and remained hunched over the sinkhole. She noted his long, wine-colored trench coat and short-brimmed hat. A set of goggles rested atop the hat's high, cylindrical crown as its wearer shuffled through a deck of cards. "Let's play a game, shall we?" the man inquired. "A little...guessing game of sorts." Dalvamek took the deck from him and brought it to Elsa. It pained her to see such a mighty chieftain now serving at some offworlder's mercy. Though she couldn't read Dalvamek's expression, she believed he willed her to play along. "Pick two, won't ya?" the man intoned.

Elsa gulped but obliged. She cautiously plucked a pair of the ebony-colored cards and flipped them over. "What the?" she gasped while looking at the first card. It depicted a familiar, blonde youngling tucked away in a corner.

"Ah yes," the man said. "You hail from a troubled past. One of uncertainty and isolation. Misunderstood, yet lectured on what you're supposed to be. Never knowing who your parents were. Never being able to see them again and having no one to turn to."

Elsa shook her head in disbelief while moving on to the next card. "This is impossible," she uttered. It showed her in her very attire, lost and falling into a pit.

"You're searching for your place in all of this. Yet everywhere you go, you're met with rules and opposition. The galaxy you thought you could fix doesn't exist, and you're slowly coming to terms with it. That was your past...this is your present. Do you want to know your future?"

Elsa furrowed her brows, looked to the sickly Felucians around her, and dropped the cards. "Who are you and what are you doing to this people?" she asserted.

The man chuckled and slowly turned. His devious smirk was the least of Elsa's worries as she focused on his vividly violet eyes. "Where are my manners, Master Jedi?" he jeered. "These Felucians are sick, you see? I'm just watching over them as a good doctor should."

Elsa's eyes narrowed. "You don't look like a physician."

"I don't look like a lot of things, child." he quipped. "But I do look like a Facilier. Or the 'Shadow' as my patients have so graciously dubbed me."

---

It was difficult to enjoy illustrious lounge of Coronet Arena with its crowd shouting outside. "Honestly," Anna whispered to her master. "Do they ever shut up?"

"Padawan," Mattias began and left Anna wondering if he'd scold her. She only started to smirk when he did. "That crowd would cheer for a gale of wind blowing leaves."

Anna fought to conceal her snicker, but couldn't resist joining in. "Coming soon to Coronet Arena," she joked. "Gale! The wind spirit!"

"Well, that's creative. I'll give you that." Mattias nudged her as they sipped offered beverages. "You sure you don't want anything else for lunch? Some meiloorun slices and jerky didn't seem very filling."

Anna nodded. "I don't want to overeat before the finals. Plus, I can't really stomach much anyway."

"So," Mattias sighed and read in to her anxieties. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"What's there to say? We're waiting on the final results and-" Anna pursed her lips as realization gripped her. "Ohhh. You mean that thing." She glanced over at Master Chaki and his Padawan Nelani. They, and all of the other Jedi seemed to be avoiding them. "On the one hand, I feel like I didn't owe her anything and that it was a competition. On the other hand, I feel awful about letting her and Dokin fall. But if I'd gone back for them, I can't guarantee that I'd have a spot in the finals right now. You know...that thing I trained so hard to get to in the first place."

Mattias thought deeply on all of her points before responding. His pensive stare was daunting and made Anna impatient. "As we enter the final-" he began. "-you need to know that I'm with you, Anna. You were handed a messy situation back there, but you made your choice and I will stand with it. If anyone has a problem with you, they've got a problem with me. Okay?"

"Okay," Anna said with a smile.

"However," Mattias added. "It'd help to go into the final with a clear conscience. If you're feeling guilty about Nelani, it can't hurt to apologize."

"I feel like I've been dishing out a lot of those lately," Anna admitted and Mattias brows furrowed. "I haven't been the best person to some of my peers, master. I know Tori holds it against me."

"Just remember this," Mattias intoned. "While we're all works in progress, a truly terrible person doesn't care about being better. You do. One step at a time, Padawan. It's the effort that counts."

"Thanks, master." Anna replied and she cautiously neared the others. She waited for Nelani to split off from the group before choosing to approach. Seeing as how she'd become a spectator, the somber Duros was helping herself to desserts. "Hey Nelani," Anna mumbled.

The Duros gently set her plate down and gulped. "Anna," she answered timidly.

"Look, about before..."

"Why did you let us fall?" Nelani asked. Her bright red eyes were wide with innocent curiosity. "You're so talented. I've seen you in action saving my master and I."

"Well," Anna said. "I-"

"I mean, you're so strong already. You could've easily made up your place in the race."

"We don't know that," Anna answered while trying to keep her emotions in check. "But please, let me expl-"

"I just don't understand how you could be so selfish."

Nelani's rising tone and constant interruptions were making Anna's blood boil. She tried to steady herself with a deep breath, but found it impossible. "I wasn't being selfish," Anna insisted with a wobbly smile. "I just wanted to say I'm so-"

"But you were selfish," Nelani intoned. "I'm just lucky and grateful enough to be here while Jedi like you take that for granted. You don't lift up those around you and just want the glory for yourselves."

Don't react, Anna, she told herself. Nelani's just hurting. She's allowed to feel those emotions. Just let her feel them, bite your tongue, and apologize.

"Nelani, I'm s-"

"In a way, you're no different from Gav, and I see that now."

Anna's eyes widened and her nostrils flared. She looked like a steaming kettle about to burst as her pursed lips twitched. "I don't know about that," Anna grunted through gritted teeth. "Please just let me-"

A spark of confidence grew within Nelani as she stood up to Anna. "Your sister knew how to help me during the tryouts and it's a shame she didn't make it. You could learn a thing or two from her."

"Well I'm not Elsa!" Anna snapped. She slammed her fist on the table and spilled several punch glasses. That was it. The very comparison of her older sister was enough to send her walls crashing down. Nelani's bravado extinguished within seconds as she cowered under Anna's raised voice. Realizing this, Anna instantly brought her voice down to a calming whisper. "Nelani," she said. "I'm sorry. That's all I've been trying to say this whole-" Nelani shuddered away from her as the commotion brought Masters Chaki and Mattias rushing over.

"What's going on?" the Selkath asked.

"I was just trying to apologize," Anna assured while Nelani had a breakdown.

"I think you've done enough," Chaki said while embracing his Padawan.

"But-"

"Anna," Mattias asserted. "Take a walk and let me handle this."

"Master," she insisted. "I didn't do anyth-"

"Take a walk, please." Mattias' stare was sincere enough to make Anna storm off. As she did so, she noticed Tori glaring at her. Longing to be free of wandering eyes and her rising stress, Anna stepped out on to an arena balcony.

"It's my fault," Mattias defended. "I'm the one who insisted she talk to Padawan Trell because of how she was feeling. Anna just wanted to say she was sorry."

"You call that outburst an apology?" Halsey jeered.

"You know what," Mattias retorted. "I'm not doing this and neither should any of us. What is this hypocrisy we're all living in? We signed up for a competition and turn on each other when a contestant abides by the rules? It's terrible what happened, yes. But my Padawan shouldn't be blamed for running her race." Mattias glared at Master Halsey. "At lease she took the time to consider the option of helping them. Your Padawan was right next to Anna and kept on running. As the fair and righteous Jedi we claim to be, are we going to call Padawan Knox into question next? While we're at it, how about every racer who didn't stop to think about those behind them. Or at this point, are we not even defining what an actual race is anymore? Anna has been through enough, and every day she's trying to be better. She's not set in her ways like some of us in our damn fifties. So unless you've got a clean reputation and can refute these claims, leave her be. Otherwise take up your problems with me. By the Force, we're Jedi. We have to be better than this!"

"Mattias is right," Master Savil huffed. She was still bitter about Surk clearly throwing away his spot in the finals. "All this bickering makes the Jedi Order look like a joke." The wall-mounted datascreen flickered on as Cosma Dezir performed a triple front flip into her seat. "Speaking of jokes..."

"And we are back, ladies and gentlemen!" Cosma announced. "Master Tapal and I are eager to announce who shall face who on the ultimate road to victory!"

Anna's Force senses were growing as she felt a presence lean above her. She peered up at the overhead balcony and saw Surk staring off. "Looking for some peace and quiet too?" the Zabrak inquired.

"That's hard to find in this city," Anna replied.

They both watched as the megascreen flashed profile pictures under Cosma's narration. "First, Velti Munar will duel Tori Vica! Then Anna Dellian will face Gav Riden!"

"Just terrific," Anna groaned. "You know you could've been with us in the final, right? I don't understand why you gave that up for her."

"It's what best friends do," Surk defended and hopped down to Anna's level. She scoffed at him until he moped. "At least, I'd hope she'd do the same for me." Anna's sassy stare was ceaseless. "Would you stop looking at me like that? I'm just trying to give her closure, okay? She wants to face you."

"She's got to beat Velti first," Anna insisted. "And I Gav." She pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. "I'm ready for this whole debacle to be over with. I thought it would be fun, but it's been nothing but stressful. I can't seem to get any of this right."

"You're trying though," Surk said. "That's a start."

"I've tried to be sincere and bite my tongue, but I can't control my emotions. I'm grateful that we can make amends, Surk, but I don't think Tori and I will reach that level any time soon."

"I still hold out hope," Surk admitted. "Like many of us, I don't have too many memories of my homeworld. But in case you couldn't tell, we Zabraks are very stubborn and hard-headed. Horn-headed too." Anna concealed a snicker until Surk nudged her. "It's okay to laugh. My point is, you and Tori aren't so different in that aspect. I've read that on Iridonia, my people often settle disputes through healthy conflict. They'd devote entire weeks to sparring over feuds until that aggression settled. Maybe all you and Tori need is to fight it out properly."

"I guess it all depends on what happens next," Anna replied. "Though I do appreciate your optimism, Surk. I really hate having missed out on years of friendship with you."

"It's never too late to start over," Surk assured. They both watched over the balcony as spotlights flashed across the stage. The once elaborate arena had been reduced to nothing more than a tremendous circle. On one end, Velti emerged as the crowd cheered her on. The amount of spotlights only made the Twi'lek's yellow skin shine even brighter. From the adjacent side of the arena, Tori boldy stepped forth. The Pantoran's focus was unmatched as she blocked out the shouts and screams around her.

"We are just about to get underway with our first duel!" Cosma announced. "Master Tapal, care to go over the rules for our viewers at home?"

The Lasat leaned towards the closest camera and said, "For the safety of our competitors, lightsabers will be dialed back to their training settings. While usage of the Force is permitted, the only way to win is to score three strikes on your opponent ordisarm them." Images of Tori and Velti flashed on the megascreen. Each had three empty circles to indicate the number of accumulated strikes.

"What's your take on the weapons of choice here?" Cosma queried.

Tapal stroked his thin beard and examined the camera angles. "Each lightsaber has its own unique advantage, Cosma. Padawan Munar's double-bladed lightsaber is going to deal a surplus of damage at close range. As a practitioner of one myself, I can tell you it's not an easy weapon to use. As for Padawan Vica's guard shotos, they'll serve well for defense. We'll have to see how she makes use of them." All eyes were on the arena as both Padawans ignited their lightsabers. Tori's blue blades spun from their handles as she steadied herself. Yellow plasma sparked from Velti's hilt when she flourished her weapon. "A Makashi salute," Tapal identified from Velti's gesture. "Such classical Form II usage is difficult to find these days."

"Didn't you say she had a double-bladed lightsaber?" Cosma asked. "I'm only seeing one side."

"Each end can be activated separately," Tapal answered. "This could be part of Munar's technique."

"Or a trick," Cosma inferred.

A probe droid hovered above the arena and aimed its launcher to the clouds. As both Jedi prepared to charge, the crowd went absolutely silent. Only the hum of lightsabers and the droid's repuslorlift could be heard echoing throughout the stage. Within seconds, the droid fired a flare to the heavens and the duel commenced. The crowds screeched as Tori and Velti ran at each other. Each opted to spin their sabers before leaping to strike. While Tori prepared for a clash, she was caught off guard when Velti Force-pushed her instead.

The crowd gasped as Cosma almost collapsed from her seat. "What a feint!" she shrieked. "Munar getting the drop...or push on Vica!"

Once Tori hit the ground, Velti lunged over and jabbed her saber downward. Tori blocked it with one of her shotos and went for a strike with the other. Velti defended by activating the second side of her lightsaber. She was able to push both blades away and put some distance between them. Tori sneered at her opponent and rushed in for another attack. Blue clashed with yellow as sparks flared across the arena. Tori set both her blades to spin until she could force Velti to her knees. With pressure administered to one end, Tori swiped one of her sabers across Velti's collarbone.

The crowd roared as one of Velti's circles filled on the megascreen. The Twi'lek hastily recovered and jabbed her saber at Tori's face. Her bold move was a poor choice as Tori batted the weapon away and slashed upward with her own. Velti yelped as the tip of Tori's lightsaber struck her abdomen.

"That's two for Vica!" Cosma announced.

Choosing to flee and reformulate, Velti deactivated her blade but kept it in her hands. Much to Krell's pleasure, Tori pushed her advantage and chased her down. "Padawan Munar now using her acrobatics to avoid that last hit," Tapal said. The Twi'lek was performing every and any maneuver she knew while Tori raged after her. Velti backflipped and somersaulted over Tori's wild swings. The Pantoran was charging at her like an endless, destructive machine. Her saber attacks combined the fury of Ataru with the collectiveness of Soresu. She remained grounded, yet devastating while closing in. Spectators were on the edge of their seats with each close call as Velti narrowly avoided attacks. Camera closeups showed the tips of Tori's sabers gliding past the Twi'leks spinning body.

"It's a game of cat and mouse now," Tapal deduced. "Vica represents the more aggressive force, but is unable to claim victory over the more agile Munar. But while her acrobatics are keeping her opponent from landing that last strike, Munar is also stuck searching for an opening that's never coming. This leaves both combatants at an impasse. Neither can win until someone slips up. It's just a matter of who...and when."

Velti Force-pushed from midair but Tori countered with a push of her own. The Padawans hurled each other across the arena before sparking up their lightsabers and reengaging. As Tori dashed towards Velti, she noticed the Twi'lek's legs bending for a front flip. Though she initially prepped to counter it, she instead proceeded as planned. Velti's hazel eyes widened as Tori saw right through her feint. She had hoped the Pantoran would've exposed her back, believing she jumped over. Instead, Tori was racing forward with both blades spinning. Velti twirled her saber to parry until all of their blades locked. The Padawans stared into each other's eyes as blue and yellow plasma ground together. In those moments, Velti noted the position of Tori's face in proximity to her double-bladed hilt. She swiftly shoved it upward to bash and disorient her opponent.

"Vica's in a daze!" Cosma shouted.

Finally having spotted an opening, Velti jabbed her saber across Tori's hip. She was about to swing the second end for another hit, but Tori's saber was already slashing her back. The crowds gasped and cheered as Velti froze. She stood in shock while Tori nonchalantly deactivated her lightsabers.

"Padawan Vica wins the duel!" Cosma screeched into the mic.

As her third circle filled and image faded, Velti accepted defeat with a deep breath. She bowed respectfully to Tori, but found her opponent had turned her back to her.

"No shame, Padawan!" Master Kalia shouted from the stands. "You gave it your all!" The Twi'lek looked to her Ithorian mentor and smiled. Tori scoured the seating to find Master Krell and the two exchanged an ominous nod.

The doors behind Anna opened as Mattias knocked. "Anna," he said. "It's time..."

"Hey," Surk mentioned as Anna made for the elevator. "Shut that squawker up, will ya?"

Anna snickered at the Zebrak's remark and continued on her way. As much as she wanted to fulfill his request, she couldn't shake the rising anxieties she felt over her upcoming duel. The elevator ride to level one was pulse-pounding. Every ding was like Anna's beating heart as she thought about what awaited her in the arena. She closed her eyes and lost herself in the elevator's ambience. Alright, Anna, she told herself. This is it. You've got this. Focus on the fundamental techniques you've gone over time and time again. There's only a million people watching you. No big deal. And your victory would mean inevitably facing Tori...goodie. Kriffing hell, Anna. Focus! You don't know a thing about Gav and you don't know how much he's studied you. Just identify his form and counter it. While Anna tried to concentrate, Nelani's words snuck through her resolve.

"Your sister knew how to help me during the tryouts and it's a shame she didn't make it. You could learn a thing or two from her."

"Oh yeah?" Anna scoffed aloud. "Well I don't see Elsa in the Corellian Cup."

Master Plo's critique pried at her confidence. "When you call upon your suffering and accentuate your pain, you invite a wave of emotions that can cloud your judgement."

Anna was still struggling to shake off her internal conflicts when the elevator doors opened. She found herself looking down an elongated hallway which opened towards the arena. Her strut became a jog as she entered the dueling circle. Each step brought her closer to the raucous hoots and hollers of countless Corellians. Gav was perched across from her and spread his wings to the cameras.

"I'm not sure if he's asserting his dominance or trying to attract a mate," Tapal jested.

"Either way, those speckled feathers are stunning." Cosma lauded. "Oh wait, I think he's trying to start the wave!"

Gav squawked as the crowds on his side raised their arms in accordance with his wings. "Having fun?" Anna remarked.

"Very much so," Gav boasted. "When you come in first for a race, maybe you'll understand."

"That was your first time winning anything, wasn't it?" Anna teased as Gav growled. "The high is euphoric isn't it?"

"I've been looking forward to dueling you," he jeered. "Let's see what you've got."

Anna chortled. "So that's a yes to my question then? Seeing as you didn't answer."

A scowl formed across Gav's black beak. He angrily summoned the saber from his belt and an emerald beam pulsed from it. Anna's eyes widened as he raised the blade over his head. Aha, she thought. I know that stance! Basic Ataru. If he wants to come at me with my own form, he'll have to be quicker. Anna sparked up her royal blue blade and opted to mirror his stance.

The sight threw Gav off guard as Cosma commented, "We've got some matching poses here. One of them has to switch, right?"

"These aren't outfits, Cosma." Tapal grumbled. "However, we are dealing with two Form IV practitioners."

The starting droid hovered into position as Anna and Gav's info appeared on the megascreen. "Come on, Gav!" Master Chuza hooted from the stands.

Mattias didn't have to be loud for Anna to know he supported her. He'd told and taught his Padawan everything she needed to know. She'd learned the rest on her own as she prepared to duel. All Mattias did was lean forward, offer a nod, and utter, "You got this."

Like the falling wave Gav had started, the crowd's rowdiness simmered down. All went quiet until the droid fired its starting flare. With his saber thrusted forward, Gav charged into battle. Much to Mattias' surprise, Anna kept her eyes shut and listened intently to her environment. She could hear Gav's rapidly approaching talons and rigorously spinning saber. Instead of meeting Gav midway, Anna opened her eyes at the last second to engage. But the same maneuver Elsa had masterfully executed on her had failed. Gav's swift saber slashed across Anna's torso and he followed with a barrage of attacks. Dazed and aching, Anna struggled to fend off her opponent's strikes.

"Padawan Riden getting his first point early on!" Cosma announced. "Dellian just kinda...let it happen."

"It was an odd maneuver on her part," Tapal admitted.

Mattias looked on in disbelief as the duel continued. Gav's incessant chittering between strikes only made matters worse. "I thought you were supposed to be good," he laughed and took a swing at Anna's head.

She ducked under it and elbowed him away. Anna hated what was happening to her. She couldn't get in her zone because so many external voices had pried their way in.

"You're going to pay for every ounce of agony you put me through. Every sleepless night is on your hands. This isn't over until I drag your pathetic name and ugly face through the mud for all to see," Tori's venomous threats haunted her.

At the root of it all, she considered how she had been and was still continuing to be compared to Elsa.

What would Elsa do? Anna thought. She attempted a poorly concentrated Force push and paid a dreadful price. The most her push did was ruffle Gav's feathers before he slashed her trembling palm.

"What are you doing?" Mattias blurted in disbelief. He scowled when he heard Master Chuza chortling at the spectacle.

Anna barely had time to yelp at the sting before Gav used his foot to grab her by the face. His talons squeezed on her head as the crowd went just as primal. "Padawan Dellian now struggling in Riden's claws!" Cosma yelled. With a mighty flap of his wings, Gav flipped Anna through the air and slammed her across the floor. Cosma loosed a resounding "Oooo" alongside the crowd. "Jedi or not, that's gotta hurt."

As Anna shook off her dizzied stupor, she glanced at the megascreen overhead. With a score of 2-0, she felt like it was her tryout all over again. Before she had time to rise, Gav sprung over to try and land the final strike. Anna lifted her saber to block his attack. As he pressed down on her blade, Anna started to see how Nelani's words had gotten to her. They'd exposed a struggle she was far from conquering but closer to understanding.

"This is why the duel permits three strikes before a victory," Master Plo had explained during tryouts. "Because each instance when you were struck shows an area in need of improvement."

Anna had overthought her situation. In trying to replicate Elsa's Force abilities, she was thrown off. This allowed Gav to land two swift hits against her. You'll never be your sister, Anna told herself. And you've got be okay with that. Stop being Elsa and start being YOU.

With a valiant roar, Anna pushed up against Gav's saber. His dark eyes widened as she rolled away and sprung to her feet. "She's back in it!" Cosma declared.

Gav thrusted his saber forward as Anna strafed left. Once clear, she kneed him in the chest and cut across his wing. He cawed at the stinging sensation while the crowd hollered. Anna then backflipped over Gav while he was still recovering. She bounced off his head and the feel of her boot sent him into a rage. Their sabers battered against each other until Anna cartwheeled. She yanked her weapon leftward and the crowd went wild as Gav tripped on it. The second sting left him limping and tied their score.

"Impossible!" Chuza raged much to Mattias' silent enjoyment. "In the name of the Old Republic, Padawan. Get it together!" Rather than attack again, Anna remained stationary. She lowered her saber and stared Gav down. The disheveled Avinarian had a frantic look in his eyes. He was hyperventilating as anxiety caught up with him.

"I can see Riden's master is being quite...vocal," Tapal mentioned.

"What are you waiting for?" Chuza squawked. "Strike, Padawan! Get the point!"

Gav's stress was building between the uproarious crowd, his master's shouts, and the tied score. Yet amidst it all, his opponent didn't budge. Her calmness was particularly unsettling. Anna just waited as Gav became his own ticking time bomb. She'd been under his pressure before and knew exactly how it would unfold. As stress drenched his feathers and the saber trembled in his wings, Gav finally cracked. He screeched and surged forward with his talons raised.

Recalling how he grabbed her face earlier, Anna ducked under the maneuver and grabbed Gav's ankle. For a brief second, Gav watched a smirk form across Anna's lips as she whispered, "Gotcha."

He could only gasp along with those spectating as Anna demonstrated her strength training. With the Avinarian trapped in her grip, she pulled him through the air and slammed him against the floor like a wet rag. Anna then smacked her saber against his chest to secure her third and final point. Gav's ensuing caw was a combination of pain, embarrassment, and blind rage.

"What a finish, folks!" Cosma exclaimed. "Padawan Dellian wins!"

"No!" Chuza hooted.

"Yes!" Mattias cheered at the same time.

"Just as I foresaw," Krell murmured from the seat behind him. Mattias' pride diminished as he looked to the brooding Besalisk. "Your Padawan will face mine in the grand final."

"What else does your foresight tell you?" Mattias scoffed.

Krell cackled. "Wouldn't you like to know." He rose from his seat to go speak with Tori and left Mattias to ponder.

Mattias suddenly felt a trio of sleek fingers touch his shoulder. He was surprised to find that Master Chaki had come to reassure him. "Krell's just trying to get in your head," the Selkath said.

"I know," Mattias admitted. "I'm just afraid it's working. Hey, about before..."

"I think we can all agree you weren't exactly wrong, friend." Chaki replied. "For what it's worth, your Padawan had a good duel." He and Chaki peered down to see Anna gently waving at fans.

"We're gonna take a brief intermission here," Cosma proclaimed. "But when we come back, brace yourselves for our grand final. The ultimate duel: Tori Vica versus Anna Dellian!"

"Is anyone going to see to that Avinarian?" Tapal muttered. "He's still kicking and screaming on the floor. Is he...injured?"

"I think he's just throwing a tantrum," Cosma laughed while Tapal facepalmed.

---

"Dr. Facilier," Elsa called. "How long have you been here?"

"Oh I set up shop on Felucia several months back," he answered while pacing around his throne. "But like most things, it takes a while to see results. You can feel it, can't you? The amount of power seeping from this place?"

Elsa grimaced at the sensations emanating around her. "You mean the Dark Side," she spoke with such disgust in her voice.

Facilier huffed. "I suppose you could call it that. But what's with the labels?" he asked and slid over to her. He wrapped a lanky arm around her shoulder waved a finger in her face. "Everyone's all about labels these days. Light and dark...Jedi and Sith. But peel back those curtains, Elsa."

The Padawan raised a brow. "How did you know my nam-" Facilier held up a green-misted card with her name crudely etched upon it. The sight made her question both his power and her sanity.

"What if there isn't a Dark Side?" he proposed. "Instead, how about simply...an Other Side? One where the powers of our very existence are at our fingertips. And people like us, those more attuned than our inferior counterparts, are meant to dive in. Elsa...When I read your cards, scan your palm, or look into your eyes...I can tell that you're beyond your peers. You don't even know how much of your ability remains untapped. I mean, what brought you to Felucia?"

Elsa refused to tell him the truth. In fact, she chose to remain silent until he chuckled. "You don't have to say a word," he jested. "Whatever brought you here, I guarantee you weren't counting on ending up down in this pit. And yet, here you are. There's this thing called fate, and it brings people together."

"The will of the Force," Elsa corrected.

Facilier rolled his eyes. "Lemme let you in on a little secret, child. Take it from a man who's been roaming these stars since you were sucking your thumb. The Force you speak of has no will. We command it. It's here so those strong enough can choose what they want to make of it. You don't have to be a Jedi or a Sith to see that."

Elsa bit her tongue and remembered her master's words. "Faith is very important, Elsa." she had said. "And as a Jedi, I think it is our duty to respect the beliefs of others."

"I," Elsa began. "Respect your belief."

"Do you respect it enough to get in on the action?" Facilier asked as Elsa froze. "It sounds like you rehearsed that little 'respecting beliefs' bit. But what do you actually want? Don't you want to know what you're capable of?" Elsa was so focused on Facilier, that she only just realized he was backing her against the ledge. She glanced over her shoulder to see layers upon layers of jagged teeth. Colossal tentacles rimmed a beaked, shrieking maw at the base of the pit. Facilier laughed at Elsa's timidity. "Ever see a sarlaac before?" he asked. "Don't let the monster scare you. Like all of the bizarre creatures on this planet, it's a sponge to the forces at work. For people like us, our abilities influence their emotions and desires. Look at this tribe. It'd be helpless without me."

"Or free," Elsa intoned.

Facilier's smile vanished. "Now, Elsa...don't be like that. Don't be like your Order's programmed you to think. You think I always worked alone? I had to learn the hard way to get where I am. But look at me now-" Elsa gasped as Facilier let himself fall into the sarlaac pit. He uttered several spells as a green mist struck one of the sarlaac's tentacles. Elsa watched in amazement as the creature lifted him back to the ledge. Facilier simply straightened his coat and struck a dashing pose. "Life is at my fingertips."

"But at what cost?" Elsa asked.

"Well there's no gift without a price," he muttered. "I thought that part was obvious. I can teach to look beyond that narrow mind of yours."

Elsa's brows furrowed as she asked. "Why?"

"Do you always question everything?" Facilier growled. "I'm trying to help you."

"But what do you have to gain from it?" Elsa interrogated.

Facilier lounged back in his bony throne. "Do all Jedi assume the worst in people?"

"Only when those people have an enslaved populace."

Facilier shot the Padawan a glare and shuffled through his deck. "You can't deny the knowledge I've shared with you. The card from your past was indubitable. The one from your present? Spot on. But we have yet to delve into your future. Care to know what awaits you?" Facilier spun a blank card at the tip of his finger. "Perhaps you'll learn of a lover."

Elsa scoffed at the thought. "I'm good."

"Or how you can defeat a foe."

"Not really looking to do that," Elsa countered.

Facilier didn't quit as he donned a demonic grin. "Maybe, you just want to protect those closest to you from a danger you can't see. I mean, how could you? The galaxy's full of so many perils for one child to keep track of. But just remember this, Elsa...The cards never lie, and if you leave without looking, that thought'll haunt you for the rest of your days." Elsa bit her lip at the thought. She despised feeling so trapped and conflicted over a trivial, yet plausible situation. Facilier's cards hadn't been wrong yet, and insight into a future dilemma could prove helpful. "What's it gonna be, Jedi?" Facilier inquired. "Going once...twice-"

"Okay," Elsa obliged. "But what must I do? I'm sure there's a catch to this card reading."

Facilier flashed a gap-toothed grin. "It's like you know me," he joked with a tip of his hat. "I'll read a card into your future, if you demonstrate manipulation over that Force of yours."

I was afraid he'd say something like that, Elsa thought. She glanced over at the entranced Felucians and focused on Dalvamek. "I'll take the chieftain," she said.

Facilier smirked and kept shuffling through his cards. "Go big or go home," he quipped. "He's yours to command. Show me what you can do."

Elsa knew not what the doctor's true intentions for her or the planet were. What she did know, was that she could never bring herself to harm or corrupt the Jungle Felucians. Elsa approached Dalvamek and cautiously reached for his head. She initially quivered as her hands entered the forest of tendrils swarming his face. As she shut her eyes, she connected to the Force and sensed the being before her. She felt Dalvamek's dwindling Force aura and understood how easily susceptible it was. She whimpered briefly as the pain he felt for his suffering people transferred to her.

"Don't let his emotions weigh you down," Facilier advised. "Sever them. Will him to follow your command. You'd make a hell of a jungle queen to these creatures."

Elsa ignored his remarks and concentrated on her abilities. Despite the overwhelming darkness festering within Dalvamek's aura, Elsa sought to cleanse it. She recalled how her master purified her vision and whispered those same words. "I am one with the Force and the Force is with me. I am one with the Force and the Force is with me."

Facilier had just finished picking out a card when he overheard Elsa's mantra. "What's that now?" he asked.

"I am one with the Force and the Force is with me," Elsa intoned as Dalvamek trembled in her grip. She let go as the chieftain dropped before her. Facilier bolted from his seat to investigate the spectacle.

Dalvamek panted as Elsa rubbed his back. She'd drained some of her own energy to cleanse him and could only hope it worked. "You are free," she whispered, but remembered he didn't speak Basic.

Suddenly, Dalvamek shoved her back and rose with his staff. Facilier puffed up his chest and jabbed a finger at the Padawan. "You stupid child. I offer you a chance to untether yourself and you betray my hospitality? Do you have any idea who you're dealing with? I have friends on the Other Side!" In that instant, Dalvamek spun around and threw his staff at the doctor. The javelin-like projectile pierced the throne and forced Facilier to drop his card.

Dalvamek helped Elsa to her feet as she answered, "I don't think you know who you're dealing with, doctor."

Facilier feigned astonishment. "Oh let me guess...a powerful Jedi?"

"Oh no," Elsa reassured. "One angry chieftain."

Dalvamek roared and pounced towards Facilier. The doctor cast a spell which made him vanish into a cloud of green smoke. As a result, Dalvamek crashed into the empty throne and nearly fell towards the sarlaac pit. Elsa helped the chieftain up as he spoke to his entranced people. Facilier could be heard cackling from one of the high trees. Another smoke cloud puffed into existence as he emerged unscathed. "I tried being reasonable," he said. "Now you can join all the others who wouldn't believe. Get'em, friends!" At the doctor's command, the corrupted Felucians attacked. Elsa Force-pushed who she could away while Dalvamek tried to reason with them. The Padawan ignited her lightsaber and leapt after Facilier.

She landed on the branch beside him and pointed her blade at his chest. "Relieve them of your spell," she ordered.

"Or what?" the doctor taunted. "I'm unarmed. Surely you're not gonna cut me down in cold blood, are ya?" The sound of Dalvamek getting jumped by his own people was enough of a distraction for Facilier to spring his trap. He threw his sleeves forward and a pair of disorienting sparklers flared in Elsa's face. He lunged at her wrists and wrestled for her lightsaber. "You should've taken my offer," he grunted and dipped the hilt closer to her neck.

As Elsa's eyesight returned, she noticed something scurrying on the branch above them. A familiar set of photoreceptors brought a smile to her face as BD-1 leapt onto Facilier's head. The droid delivered a surprising shock to the doctor while Elsa kicked him off. The shock had weakened Facilier's concentration over the natives and others were breaking free of the trance. "No no no!" he panted while scrambling to his feet.

BD-1 rushed to Elsa's side and chimed as she rose. "It's nice to see you too," she told him.

"Elsa!" Yelena shouted as she and Cordova leapt into the fray.

"By the Force! What's going on?" Cordova asked.

"I found the source of the corruption," Elsa hastily explained. "That man is using the Dark Side to afflict these people."

"You couldn't just fall down a pit and stay put, could you?" Yelena grumbled. "Alright, where is this afflictor?" As if on cue, an inky mass started to form in the nearby marsh. Shadows lurched together and ascended from the terrain in heaps of green mist. "Nevermind," Yelena murmured.

A pair of sinister, gigantic claws emerged from the shadowy substance. Blood red eyes and an assortment of sharp teeth spawned across its dark face, all while Facilier stood atop it. "Now, Jedi..." Facilier hissed. "I'll show you what the Other Side can really do!" His conjured creature roared and chased the Jedi.

"Eno," Yelena grieved. "What is that thing?" BD-1 attempted to scan it, but all readouts emerged inconclusive.

"It's some kind of demonic entity," Cordova deduced.

"Like the Force demons on Scarif," Elsa considered.

"I could've told you that!" Yelena snapped.

"He seems to have conjured this 'shadow rancor' through dark magic," Cordova answered.

"Well," Yelena insisted. "Let's see if we can dispel it. So much for a tranquil expedition!" As Facilier focused on his creature, his possession over the Felucians dwindled. Dalvamek rallied them to his side as they scrambled for battle.

Elsa and Yelena leapt to the trees as the shadow rancor clawed for them. Cordova used the distraction to run his lightsaber across the beast's ankles. Its splotchy, dark flesh spewed across the marsh as it roared in response. As the creature turned towards Cordova, Yelena flourished her lightsaber. "Together now, Padawan." she said and jumped from the tree. Though delayed, Elsa sprung after her master with her saber at the ready. Yelena dug her blade into the entity's forearm while Elsa landed on its back. What neither Jedi expected was for Dalvamek to take matters into his own hands. The newly-liberated chieftain returned, toppling trees while riding his bull rancor. He charged it straight into Facilier's mount, which threw Elsa off balance. The doctor caught on and willed his beast to snatch the Padawan in its monstrous grip. Facilier cackled as Elsa wriggled in the creature's grasp. Yelena ran up the shadow rancor's arm and took a swing at the doctor. His evasion forced him to relinquish control over his beast. As a result, the shadow rancor flung Elsa into the sarlaac pit and continued fighting.

Elsa's scream was brief before she collided with one of the sarlaac's tentacles. She had ominously gone from one creature's entrapment to another's. A calloused tentacle wrapped around her leg as she flailed through the air. The sarlaac tightened its hold and dangled her body mere feet from its maw. Elsa didn't even have time to anticipate a drop as the tentacle loosened around her ankle. She felt the rush of air around her as the sarlacc's beak widened. She stared down its gaping mouth before frantically Force-pulling it shut. Though the action was brief, it bought her enough time to crash against the creature's upper beak. Determined to deal with her, the sarlaac's tentacles twitched and swirled around its mouth. Seeing no other way out, Elsa thought about how Dalvamek quelled the mighty bull rancor. A creature once trying to kill humans and Felucians alike was now being used as a battle mount. Elsa didn't know what would become of her power, but she had to try.

As the sarlaac's tentacles loomed over her, she clenched its beak and pressed her face to it. Her cheek was already a muddied, sweaty mess from the planet's environment. What was some additional sarlaac gunk? Her heart raced as the creature's shrill shrieks echoed throughout the pit. The more frightened she appeared, the wilder the tentacles became. Of course, Elsa thought. The Living Force.

"You must remember that the Living Force surrounds and binds all things together, Elsa." Yelena had told her back on Rodia. "When you tap into the Force, you open up the path to feel all of it. This is especially true for someone as attuned as you are."

The sarlaac was sensing her fear. "Shhh," Elsa uttered while slowing her breaths. She dared to pet the creature's beak as its tentacles started to lower. The sarlaac's shrieks simmered down to a series of low-pitched bellows. "Easy," Elsa whispered. With each stroke across its beak, she felt how deeply connected the sarlaac was to the soil. Her arms and legs stretched and loosened just like its tentacles. She endured the creature's ravenous appetite and felt an earthy taste in her mouth. Even her breathing became synchronized with the sarlaac's. She braced for the unpredictable as its tentacles descended upon her.

Meanwhile, Dalvamek willed his bull rancor to take another swing at Facilier's beast. But the shadowy monster proved superior as it grabbed hold of the bull's tusks. The chieftain clung for dear life as Facilier ordered his shadow rancor to subdue its opponent. The rigorous motion sent Yelena and Cordova tumbling towards a nearby tree trunk. Everyone braced as Facilier bellowed down to them. "You're all battling powers beyond your understanding," he derided as his beast snapped the bull rancor's neck. "You're in my world now, not your world! And-"

The ground quaked and all eyes turned towards the pit. "Now what?" Yelena panted as an array of tentacles extended to the sky. Yet amidst all of the scarred appendages, a turquoise figure stood atop the centermost one. Cordova started to smile as the figure ignited a blue lightsaber and raised it with the tentacles.

"Well I'll be," Facilier uttered and chuckled nervously. "Now, Elsa. Remember, Elsa...This power is yours to control. No one else's. You can do whatever you want with it. I...I taught you that."

"Oh I know," Elsa's voice echoed down. "But I didn't learn it from you." The Padawan pointed her saber at Facilier and the tentacles descended at her command. One would typically assume that a sarlaac took its time snatching hapless prey. But with a powerful Force-user guiding it, the creature's fury was rapid and insurmountable. Its tentacles rampaged across the soil and bludgeoned the shadow rancor to a pulp. While the dark entity was fending off two appendages, another six were grabbing it from behind. Facilier was forced to abandon his creation and watch the sarlacc rip it limb from shadowy limb. Its dark essence spewed across the marsh and tainted whatever soil it splattered upon.

The amount exertion required to command such an attack had taken its toll on Elsa. While she was able to bond with the massive creature through animal kinship, she could feel her ties weakening. As the sarlaac's tentacles retracted, Elsa's connection severed and she slipped out of consciousness.

"Up there!" Cordova shouted as Elsa plummeted from one of the tentacles. Her limp body fell until Dalvamek snatched her by the arm. His suction-cupped digits helped him hold Elsa steady as he hauled her to safety.

Just as the chieftain set her down, Facilier emerged from the shadows and blew a disorienting dust into his eyes. Dalvamek staggered back and was kicked into the marsh. Yelena and Cordova closed in as Facilier grabbed Elsa's body and held a dagger to her neck. "Not another step," Facilier warned with a smirk. "Though they say it's mighty peaceful to die in one's sleep."

"Drop her!" Yelena ordered in a ferocious tone.

"My my," Facilier taunted while slowly backing up. "Is the darkness of this world getting to you, or is there something you'd like to share with the class, Master Jedi?" He watched her eyes widen as he brought the blade closer to Elsa's throat. "She's yourpupil, isn't she? What a waste."

"There's no way out of this," Cordova tried to negotiate as Jungle Felucians cornered Facilier. "Let the Padawan go and we can protect you."

"Protect me?" Facilier scoffed. "You Jedi can't even watch your own backs."

"Enough!" Yelena snapped and boldly advanced. "It's over, scum."

Facilier cackled. "I'm just getting started."

"Now, BD!" Cordova commanded. His droid pounced from a low-lying branch as Facilier moved to evade. He shoved Elsa at Yelena, but not before slicing a lock of her hair. Facilier clenched the platinum blonde cluster and laughed before teleporting away.

"Elsa?" Yelena worried and shook her Padawan. "Wake up!"

BD-1 scurried to Elsa's shoulder and injected her with a bright green fluid. The supplement delivered a furious jolt that made Elsa gasp herself awake. Her hands immediately went to clasp her aching arm as Yelena embraced her. "What...what happened?" Elsa mumbled while nearly being suffocated in Yelena's embrace. "What did I get hit with?"

"A stim pack," Cordova explained. "BD-1 always keeps several on him for...encounters like these."

"Where's Facilier?" Elsa asked before sinking into Yelena's arms.

"Gone," her master answered. "You're very weak so just try and relax." Yelena grunted as she carried Elsa in her arms. "We need to get her back to the ship."

"Look," Cordova gasped. "The plants...they're starting to heal. Whatever corruption that man was afflicting upon the land has been lifted!"

"Eno," Yelena intoned. "That's wonderful but my Padawan's wellbeing is my concern now. We are taking her to the nearest Republic outpost for evaluation before we go any further and that is final."

"Yes, ma'am." Cordova relented.

"That goes for you too, droid!" Yelena snapped while BD-1 was scanning Facilier's drawn card. "Get away from that thing. It's probably tainted."

As Elsa groggily peered over her master's shoulder, she noticed Dalvamek and his tribe watching her from the marsh. "El-sa," he uttered and offered a bow.

She nodded to him before resting in her master's arms. The world around her changed with her listing, fluttering eyes. One moment, she was being carried throughout the dense jungle. In the next, she felt the cool air from boarding their ship. As she drifted off in her bed, she overheard Yelena and Cordova debating over directions. BD-1 was a beeping blur at her bedside before the ship came to a halt. By that point, Elsa was able to walk again while leaning on Yelena. They disembarked to the sounds of whirring machinery and marching troops.

"We can get her checked out right in here," a clone said.

"Thank you," Cordova replied. "How goes the war effort, captain?"

"Seppies have been awfully quiet these last few rotations," the clone captain answered. "With the destruction of our orbiting medbase, we haven't been able to make any crucial advancements. We need more battalions to make any real difference on this heap of mushrooms. If you ask me, we need the bloody Star Corps. But that could take over a year with how many engagements they're being thrown into. At the this point, it just depends on how much the Senate cares about Felucia."

Yelena guided Elsa to a table where a clone medic examined her vitals. His voice was rather singsongy as he handed her a beverage. "You're severely dehydrated," he said. "This is going to revitalize you on a world like Felucia."

"Thank you," Elsa replied. She sipped the chilled medicine while eavesdropping on Cordova's conversation.

"We're hunkering down and raising our base's defenses for now," the captain told him. "Part of me hoped you three were Jedi reinforcements. The last time we received aid, it came in the form of shinies straight from Kamino." The captain scoffed and gestured to a huddled bunch of newer clones. "Just look at 'em. Marveling over Jedi that aren't coming to help us."

"I will put in a word with the council about Jedi aid," Cordova assured.

Elsa glanced over at the rowdy, new clones to see what they were watching. "Hey," she muttered. "Is that...the Corellian Cup?"

"Sure is!" one of the troopers brayed. Seeing so many helmetless clones sitting shoulder to shoulder felt like an optical illusion. "Hey sergeant! That one Jedi's coming on!"

"Where is she?" a gruff clone asked. He barreled through his unit and slid into a seat. His eyes widened as he pointed at a particular Padawan on the datascreen. "There!" he roared. "That's-"

"Anna," Elsa answered.

The clone turned with a raised, bushy brow. "That's right, kid." he said. "Who the hell are you?"

"Her big sister," Elsa said sternly.

The clones shouted a resounding "Ooooooo!" to their sergeant.

"Bet you didn't see that coming, Blazer!" a shinie snickered beside him.

Blazer shoved him out of his seat, snorted, and pat the newly-empty spot. "Well take a seat, miss." he said. "Cause your sister's in the grand final."

---

The sun was setting on Coronet Arena and fireworks were sparking into the sky. "Ladies and gentlemen!" Cosma proclaimed from a hovering stage. She twirled in a glittering skirt which shot its own personal fleet of mini-fireworks. "Welcome to the grand final of the Corellian Cup! Eight Jedi Padawans began this journey, but now we're down to two! If you've been with us from the start, don't you dare get outta your seat now. We're offering commercial-free coverage of this epic duel between two...count'em...TWO...hardened hearts: Tori Vica and Anna Dellian. Both Padawans will face off in a duel like you've never seen before." Cosma's stage hovered over a newly forged arena. "Say goodbye to that boring circle. In this ever-changing environment, anything goes! Three strikes go out the door, as this fight ends under only two circumstances. An opponent can either yield..." Cosma leaned in to the nearest camera. "Which I highly doubt either of these spitfire's will do. Or an opponent can be knocked out for a total of ten seconds! Enough saber stings on training settings or a well-placed jab will land such a result. To everyone watching around the galaxy, this event will go down in history!"

On Felucia, Elsa and Blazer eagerly leaned towards the datascreen while the other clones cheered around them. Master Shaak Ti calmly observed the event on a screen from Kamino. Lieutenant Frost caught a glimpse of the grand final from an overhead screen while handing out vaccines to Rodians. In a decrepit cantina on a distant world, a helmeted...hooded Rodian watched the Corellian Cup from a corner. Footage of the event flickered on the dashboard of Officer Byra's overturned police cruiser. "All units, fall back!" the Coruscanti officer screamed while pointlessly shooting at the Zillo Beast. "Evacuate the Uscru district. I repeat. Evacuate Uscru!" Vivi observed the Corellian Cup from her ship's transmitter and glanced back at Hans. The Jedi was still drugged and tied to the backseat as she headed for Corellia.

"Without further ado," Cosma declared. "Let's hear it for our grand finalists!"

The gates started to open as each Padawan's master spoke final words of wisdom. "This is your moment, Anna." Mattias told her. "Do you hear that crowd? Feel their energy and ride it. Never forget that you earned this." Anna's smile faltered when she noticed her master on the verge of tears.

"Master," she worried. "Are you-"

He hugged her tight after thinking about how he once almost had her expelled. "I'm just so proud of you," he said. "No matter what happens, you are the strongest Jedi I know and I am honored to be your master." He gave her shoulder a squeeze and grinned. "Go forth." Anna bravely dashed onto the field as camera flashes and cheers ensued.

On the adjacent end of the arena, Tori stood at attention as Krell placed his uppermost hands on her shoulders. His wide palms weighed her down as he looked at her with his unfeeling, yellow eyes. "Break her...or I break you," he intoned and left for the stands.

With a perpetual scowl and twitching sneer, Tori stomped out onto the field. She ignited both sabers with a savage punch forward and readied herself. Anna steadied her feet and activated her blade. She dipped it towards her opponent and focused on her golden glare. The duel hadn't even commenced and Tori set her sabers to spin erratically. Their wild hum and strobing spirals were dizzying to Anna's eyes. Anna looked up instead to see the starting droid hovering into position. Her heart raced along with Tori's spinning blades. The arena's spotlights already had Anna sweating as she observed their blocky surroundings. Steady, she told herself. Easy.

The longer Tori stared at Anna, the more she called upon her pain. She thought about every insult since childhood. She harnessed it all to call upon a sinister pull and set her free. "These death stares are gonna killing me!" Cosma panicked.

"I sense much anger in this duel," Tapal said. "And...fear."

The droid fired a starting flair into the night sky and the Padawans charged into each other. The crowd screamed as neither Anna nor Tori held back. Blue plasma flared across the arena in conflagrations while they sliced the environment to shreds. Anna and Tori's strikes were so swift, that even the camera's had difficulty picking up whose blades were whose.

"Both Padawan's off to a violent start!" Cosma announced. "Neither is holding back whatsoever!"

"We're dealing with two Ataru duelists here," Tapal commented. "This duel is going to come down to technique and endurance. Because looking at how hard these Padawans are starting...neither can keep that pace up."

It was as if Anna and Tori heard Tapal's comment. They accepted his challenge by flipping and twirling across the arena. Their sabers weren't merely clashing. They were smashing against each other as each collision reverberated throughout the stands. Tori's hate-filled attacks were concluded with furious yells. Anna batted away one of the Pantoran's sabers, but felt the second grind against her back. Tori dug the blade so its sting would make her scream. She relished in those painful sounds and likened them to her own suffering. "It hurts, doesn't it?" she hissed.

Giving in to her own anger, Anna furiously swiped her saber at Tori's torso. Her opponent kicked her in the hip, but Anna used the opening to slash back. Tori growled as Anna's saber struck her thigh. Both combatants staggered away from each other and observed their surroundings. A series of rising cubes prompted Anna to take the high ground. Tori leapt to the opposite cubes as they met in midair. The awestruck crowds pointed as Anna and Tori nicked each other's shoulders. They landed on adjacent squares and stared each other down.

"I've waited so long to see you suffer," Tori murmured.

"Hate to break it to you," Anna quipped. "But you'll have to wait longer."

Enraged, Tori threw one of her sabers like a boomerang. While it swirled towards Anna, she rushed from the right side. Anna deflected the incoming saber just as Tori lunged over. She landed a scorching hit on Anna's torso and the impact sent her toppling off the cube. While Anna recovered, she bought herself time by weakly Force-pushing Tori's platform away. Tori easily recovered and front flipped towards her. She dragged her spinning lightsabers across the floor to produce an intimidating effect and closed in. Anna parried Tori's ensuing strikes and elbowed her in the face. As the Pantoran recovered from her daze, she noticed Krell staring at her from the stands. Infuriated and motivated, Tori sprung back at Anna. She Force-pushed several cubes towards her opponent and capitalized on the distraction. While Anna struggled to evade the obstacles, Tori rolled over and struck her calves.

All of her stinging wounds were catching up with Anna as she tried channeling them into anger. With a bold roar, Anna kicked Tori back and jabbed her saber at Tori's abdomen. It appeared that both Padawans were tiring from their wounds and aggressive start. But Anna didn't realize that Tori was winding back for a powerful kick. Her eyes widened as Tori used the Force to amplify her momentum. Tori poured all of her fury into that kick as she thought on Anna's words.

"Pathetic...Says the girl with stupid lines on her face...What? Are you gonna cry now?...Pathetic."

"NO!" Tori screamed at her own, poisonous thoughts and kicked forward.

With her saber lowered from the strike, Anna could only brace as Tori's heel struck her square across the face. A deafening silence followed the crowd's initial gasp as Anna was hurled through the air. Mattias rose from his seat with mouth agape while his Padawan skidded across the arena. Krell smirked while the other Jedi watched with bated breath. Anna's body lay sprawled and motionless against the pavement as Tori paced before her.

"Dellian is down!" Cosma screeched.

"Powerful kick by Padawan Vica," Tapal added. "And there goes the droid."

The observing probe was flanked by two loudspeakers as it started to count, "One...two..."

"Anna, get up!" Mattias shouted from the stands. "Three..."

"Come on, lass!" Master Chaki joined in beside him. "Four..."

"Don't you quit now, Anna!" Blazer roared at the datascreen. "On your feet!" "Five..."

Elsa clasped her hands together while worriedly looking at the screen. The cameras focused on her downed sibling as she grit her teeth. "The Force is with you, sis." she whispered. "Stay strong." "Six...seven..."

The helmeted Rodian shoved drunken bystanders out of her way to get a closer look at the screen. "Come on, Red." Jee urged. "Get back in this." "Eight..."

---

Anna felt a set of fingers running through her hair and instantly bolted upright. "What the?" she blurted and found herself knelt in a sunny meadow. Though she didn't know where she was, the vista was somehow familiar to her. She gasped when a mysterious hand placed a flower in her hair. Anna turned to see a woman's ghostly outline sitting beside her. She leapt to her feet as the entity chuckled.

"Don't be afraid, my little crocus." the spirit said calmly.

"Who are you?" Anna asked. "Where am I?"

"I'm not going to answer questions you already know the answer to," the specter said. "Even if you're afraid to look them in the eye."

"I don't follow," Anna admitted.

"Anna, my dear." the specter sighed. "That's the problem. You cannot accept what you are." While hesitant at first, Anna let the being caress her cheek. Warm, tender feelings awakened within her as if she'd forgotten a piece of herself. "Don't be afraid to be Aren," she said.

Anna suddenly felt herself tearing up. "If you're who I think you are...you left me. Left us."

The specter wiped the fleeing tears from Anna's eyes and said, "Now you listen to me and you listen well. I never left you. Nor have I ever left your sister. I am with you in your highs and lows. When your bravest and most afraid. I will always be with you, child of Aren. Embrace who you are, for I love you just the same."

Anna's brows furrowed as she uttered, "Mother?"

---

"Nine..."

Anna's eyes shot open and she sprung to her feet. The crowd went absolutely insane as the droid dismissed itself. "Holy-" was all Cosma could say before her supervisors censored her microphone. "Dellian's up! She's actually up!"

"By the Force," Tapal remarked.

Mattias and Chaki impulsively hugged each other while countless viewers cheered across the stars. Elsa was so ecstatic, that she giddily kicked her feet at the floor. Blazer hollered at the screen and headbutt a fellow clone trooper. Shaak Ti offered a dutiful nod of approval before resuming her work. Jee sat back in a barstool and started slow clapping at the cantina's screen.

Anna shook off her daze, wiped her bloodied nose, and beckoned Tori to attack. "Let's finish this!" she shouted.

With a wild scream, Tori lunged at Anna with her sabers readied. They clashed thrice before dashing to opposite sides of the arena. As if synchronized for a deadly duel, Anna and Tori launched off the arena's walls and dueled each other in midair. Both duelists crashed into the center as Tori attacked next. Anna caught her saber mid-swing, just as she'd countered a thug back in the Uscru district. She then kicked Tori in the chest and focused on evasion. The Pantoran grew flustered as Anna dodged her wild attacks, just as Jee had once toyed with her during their duels. When she found an opportune moment, Anna performed a harrowing leg sweep, identical to the one she'd given Captain Jack Convore. Tori collapsed, but retaliated with a daunting jab. She and Anna struck each other's shoulders at the same time.

The crowds wailed as both Padawans staggered away from each other. Though Anna knew her Force push wasn't the strongest, she used a sporadic burst to confuse Tori, much like the sonic emitters used on firaxan sharks. Tori fought through her disorientation to create a powerful Force repulse. The blast sent Anna tumbling into a wall while Tori didn't let up. She ground her sabers into Anna's hips, but her opponent countered with a desperate headbutt. And they told me not to do it, Anna dizzily thought.

"I don't know how much more these Padawans can take!" Cosma panicked. "Both duelists are tired! Multiple stings on each but neither is yielding!"

Anna pressed her attack as Tori hurriedly threw one of her sabers. Rather than hit it back to her, Anna rolled away from it and took Tori head on. Unable to recover her second blade, Tori was forced to take Anna with one.

"Vica's defense is faltering," Tapal commented.

"Anna firing away with some heavy hits!" Cosma announced.

Tori's knees began to wobble as Anna slashed downward. The mighty strike forced a clash between their blades and Tori caught a glimpse of the audience. Her heart sank when she noticed Krell exiting the stands. "Master..." she whispered. The duel hadn't even ended and he'd already judged the victor. Refusing to believe it and rejecting the need of his observation, Tori furiously fought back. "No," she growled. "Not like this!" she defied. She spun her saber and swung it towards Anna, but the momentum was lost.

With a frenzied look in her eyes, Anna tightened her core and spun around. She hit Tori's saber away to reveal an opening and then delivered a swift, right hook to her jaw. The Pantoran crashed to the floor as Anna soared over. Her sweat-drenched hair smacked her in the face as she landed. When she peeled back her malodorous locks, she observed Tori's quivering body. The droid returned and initiated its countdown.

As Anna caught her breath and succumbed to her injuries, she watched as her opponent gave everything to try and rise. Tori's aching body trembled while her disheveled bun shrouded her face. "Come on," Tori grunted to herself. "Get...up." she pleaded because no one else would for her. "No..." she uttered as her body, like her master, gave up on her. Anna winced when Tori's arms gave out and she hit the pavement with a hiss.

"Ten," the droid declared and fireworks launched across the arena.

Tori was grateful for the forest of hair in her face. For the rage she'd been carrying had crumbled with her injuries. All that was left was a deepening sadness as tears rolled down her blue cheeks. Her sniffles were deafened under the uproarious cheers of Coronet Arena.

"She's done it!" Cosma declared. "Galaxy! People of Corellia! Anna Dellian is our Corellian Cup Champion!"

Confetti rained across the arena as Anna looked to her master. He was so ecstatic, he was even busting out an embarrassing dance move. When he caught Anna looking, he embarrassedly plopped back in his seat and gave her a thumbs up. Anna shook her head and mouthed the words "Thank you." Her smile faded when she peered down at Tori. Her opponent had slowly risen to her knees and was blankly staring across the stage.

"Tori," Anna spoke. "We don't have to fight anymore. I don't want to. Please..." Tori glanced over and revealed how reddened her golden eyes had become. "Just give me a chance."

Anna extended a hand to her and willed her to take it. She hoped that if she did, she could raise her hand up so the crowds could cheer both of them on. Tori glared at Anna's empty palm and sighed. She started bringing her own hand to it when a horde of Corellian press swarmed Anna. Cameras and shouting fans crowded her while Tori was left in the dust. No matter how Anna tried to talk and squeeze her way out, the swarm did all the talking for her.

"What an exciting event this has been," Cosma said. "Wouldn't you agree, Master Tapal?"

"Indeed it has," the Lasat replied. "It's been...enlightening. I may look in to taking on a Padawan learner myself."

"It's been a defining experience for all of us!" Cosma announced, completely ignoring Tapal's comment. "And we've all learned even more about what the Jedi Order has to offer!"

Though he didn't say anything, Tapal scowled at her remark. As he observed Anna being overcrowded and Tori cast aside, he couldn't help but wonder if the Order's educational efforts had instead been used as a mere form of entertainment.

---

"I knew she could do it!" Blazer cheered amongst his fellow clones.

"That's my sister for you," Elsa admitted. "It was nice meeting you, Sergeant...Blazer, was it?" He nodded as she departed with Yelena and Cordova. "I can't wait to give Anna the biggest hug when I see her again."

"Well, you'll find her be napping back on Coruscant after our expedition." Cordova said. "At least, that's what I'd do after a competition like that."

"So where are we heading?" Elsa asked as they boarded their ship. "I didn't exactly get a chance to look with the whole 'attacked by natives, a rancor, and shadow man' thing."

Cordova motioned for BD-1 to reactivate his holomap. "After comparing the glyphs we found to the snowy vista in your dream-" he explained. "-I believe we have our sights set on the icy planet of Rhen Var."

"I'll take snow over this humidity any day," Elsa huffed and headed towards the back of the ship. "If anyone needs me, I'll be showering." She was halfway down the ship's corridor when BD-1 nudged her foot. His urgent pattering had her worried as she knelt beside him. "What is it?" she asked. The droid activated his holoprojector to reveal a peculiar object he'd scanned. "Wait...is that one of Facilier's cards?" Elsa realized it was the one he'd picked for her future. She bit her lip, but curiosity ultimately got the best of her. "I don't suppose you got a closeup of the front image, did you?"

BD-1 chimed and created a higher resolution image. As Elsa looked over the card, her blood ran cold. Her lower lip quivered as a dreadful chill ran up her spine. "Anna?" Elsa whispered at the disturbing, horrifying image. "No..."

---

Author's note: Thank you so much for reading this week's pulse-pounding installment of The Frozen Force! It's an honor and pleasure to bring you this adventure every week! With two episodes left in the season, the stakes have never been higher. A dark, sinister plan has been set in motion and only Hans knows about it. But is he too late? What did Elsa see on Facilier's card and is this future right? Do his cards ever lie? Find out next Frozen Force Friday on The Frozen Force!

Long Live Imagination and May the Force be with you!