Chapter 28 - Home

The brief vision dissipated as quick as it came and Edric's gaze lingered on Lyra, a welcome counterweight to another set of grief on his scales. She crossed the chamber in a heartbeat, her arms encircling him with a fierce protectiveness that spoke louder than words. Edric drew her close, inhaling her familiar scent, letting her touch wash over him like a healing balm. They had lost so much, but they still had this.

Her embrace slackened as she saw past him. "Oh stars, Edwin..." The words caught in her throat. Edric noticed her taking in the scene—Edwin's lifeless form and Master Asher's body lying amid the scattered shards of the holocron. "I'm so sorry."

A deep rumble coursed through the chamber, dislodging ancient dust from above. Edric sensed a ripple through the Force too, his closer connection now telling him about a new danger awakening.

"We need to go," Lyra pulled back, her voice laced with urgency. "The whole fortress is rigged to blow."

"We're not leaving them," Edric declared, moving purposefully toward Edwin's body. The Partisans shared uncertain looks, but remained silent as Edric lifted his brother over one shoulder. "Help me with him," he directed two of the fighters, gesturing to Master Asher's fallen form.

They gathered their dead with solemn care and made their way forward as another explosion sent tremors through the fortress, forcing Edric to adjust his stance. The flickering lights made him raise an eyebrow at Lyra.

"I'll explain everything on the way," she said, guiding them toward the elevator. "But we have minutes at most."

Edric cradled Edwin's body close as they crowded into the lift, silently vowing to give his brother the farewell he deserved. Behind him, the Partisans carried Master Asher with unexpected dignity, as if the weight of what had transpired in the chamber above had settled over them all even if they weren't there.

Lyra punched the controls and sagged against the wall, avoiding Edric's gaze. But there was no need for explanations—he could sense it all. His heightened connection to the Force translated every tremor, every forming crack in the foundation into a symphony of warning. In his mind's eye, he could see the magma deep below the stronghold's foundations, churning, its ancient slumber disturbed, yearning to break free. Where once such awareness might have overwhelmed him, now it flowed through him naturally, like a river finding its course after a flood.

"What happened?" he asked softly.

Lyra found his eyes. "Max is hurt," she responded quietly. "We managed to get to the command center, fought a squad there. Disabled the defenses. Another patrol came up to the place and there was a grenade..." She swallowed hard. "Max tossed me away and took the brunt of the shockwave. We've got him to the corvette's medbay, but he's—he's not waking up."

Another explosion rocked the fortress. Through the Force, Edric sensed the precarious balance beneath them beginning to tip. Other times, something similar inside him would happen, but this time, he refused despair. Max was alive. And if he knew the old bounty hunter, he would survive them all just on pure stubbornness alone.

"They sabotaged everything," Lyra continued, steadying herself against the elevator wall. "The shield controls were linked to the magma containment systems. When we brought down the defenses..." She didn't need to finish. Edric could feel it all—the fortress's foundations groaning, the heat rising, the inevitable chain reaction building like a catalyst ready to ignite.

"Sid's waiting with the Beast at the hangar bay, just above the command center," she added. "If we hurry—"

The elevator shuddered to a halt, plunging them into darkness. But where panic might once have seized him, Edric remained centered in his newfound connection to the Force. It moved through him differently now—a current that had always been there, waiting for him to stop fighting both it and himself. Around them, the Partisans' fear rippled through the Force crashing into him.

"It's alright. Just a power surge," he said with quiet certainty, shifting Edwin's weight to free one hand. He placed it against the elevator's panel, and suddenly he was one with the fortress's systems—seeing the maze of power conduits and coupling networks as clearly as if they were illuminated before him.

"Now," he said, and the power surged back to life, the lift resuming its journey. Moments later, it eased to a stop at their designated level with a happy chime.

"New party trick?" Lyra managed a shaky smile.

Edric shrugged his free shoulder as they exited into the corridor. "You could say that."

Lyra took point, leading them left at a run, with Edric and the four Partisans close behind. The hallway convulsed with each step, lights dimming in waves while panels exploded in their wake, showering sparks. The fortress seemed to be drawing its final breaths like an old man on his deathbed.

They skidded to a halt at the hangar bay's massive blast doors. Beyond lay their salvation: the Beast, engines thrumming, hovering just above the deck with her ramp extended in welcome. Despite their earlier crash, Sid had worked actual miracles—she was scarred but flight-worthy, ready to carry them all to safety.

"Let's go," Edric urged, and they sprinted as one toward the ship. They didn't stop until they reached the cargo hold, the Beast's ramps rising behind them as she rocketed into open air. Through the closing gap, Edric caught a final glimpse of the fortress—its left spire crumbling as a geyser of lava erupted beside it, reaching for the stars with fingers of liquid fire, high enough to take a hold even on the main tower.

A chill ran through Edric as the ramp sealed with a final hiss. He lowered Edwin's body to the deck with trembling hands, then his own legs gave way. The cold metal of the cargo hold pressed against his back as he collapsed, lungs burning. Around him, the others gasped for breath, their exhaustion palpable in the Force.

Footsteps echoed through the hold, accompanied by the whir of repulsors. Sid burst in, chest heaving from his sprint from the cockpit, Drone hovering faithfully at his shoulder. Through the Force, Edric felt the boy's rapid pulse, the way a chill wrapped around his ribs, squeezing the air out of him. Then Sid's eyes found Edwin, and a new surge of emotion hit Edric like a physical blow. The boy's hands fluttered uselessly, searching for something—anything—to hold onto.

"Oh no—" Sid's voice shattered on the words.

"Sid, it's…it will be okay," Edric pushed himself to his feet and crossed to the boy, resting a weathered hand on his shoulder. "Thank you for coming back for us."

"I, uh—" Sid faltered, words failing him. Edric closed his eyes and drew a deep breath, reaching out to the Living Force flowing between them. He guided it gently, asking it to ease the boy's burden, to share the same light that had sustained his own spirit. Sid's response was immediate—his eyes widened as they met Edric's, that youthful spark rekindling before tears began to well. He mouthed a silent "Thank you" as Edric fought back his own tears, swallowing hard. In that moment, he understood how Edwin had known what to do, how his hand calmed Edric when they initially met. It was just helping him with the scales.

"We should get to Max," Lyra's voice cut through the silence. Sid cast one final look at the fallen before squaring his shoulders and heading for the cockpit.

"I'll dock us with the corvette before the jump to hyperspace," he said as they followed. "Rono's expecting a debrief before we arrive back at Dantooine."

The Beast had already broken the atmosphere on autopilot, the makeshift fleet—or what remained of it—growing larger in their viewport. Edric sank into the copilot's chair, its familiar creak a small comfort amid everything that had transpired. Sid slipped into the pilot's seat, hands dancing across the controls as he adjusted their course to intercept.

"How did you get her flying again?" Edric asked, watching the boy work.

Sid's hands stilled for a moment. "That was the easy part," he said, then added in a near-whisper, "Though I might have introduced some stormtroopers to our portside guns."

Lyra's appreciative whistle drew a reluctant smile from Edric.

"You handled yourself well out there," he said, squeezing Sid's shoulder. The boy tensed briefly at the touch.

"That's enough combat experience for one lifetime," Sid muttered, but there was a hint of pride in his voice. The control panel lit up with proximity warnings as the corvette's hull filled their viewport. "We are in docking range."

They docked with Rono's corvette before the fleet jumped into hyperspace. Edric's muscles were spent, exhaustion creeping deep into his bones, but he stifled a yawn as Rono was leading him, Lyra and Sid silently through the corridors of the CR90. The Partisans they passed offered nods and quiet applause, their faces a mirror of Edric's own complicated emotions—hope tinged with exhaustion, and for some, the raw edge of grief. It helped, somehow, seeing that shared pain.

The medbay was all sharp angles and sterile surfaces, a stark contrast to the Beast's lived-in warmth. Only the steady rhythm of medical monitors broke the silence beside the beds of the many injured. Max floated in the bacta tank against the far wall, his lean frame somehow diminished. Even with his newfound balance in the Force, Edric's stomach clenched at the sight, making his hands tremble. Scars mapped the bounty hunter's body, his left hand immobilized by metal supports where bones had shattered.

"Max..." Sid's whisper carried across the room. Lyra's fingers found Edric's tremoring ones, squeezing gently. He managed a half-smile in response.

Not you too, old man, Edric thought, pressing a palm against the cool surface of the tank. The scene was too familiar—another mentor suspended between life and death. It triggered a painful memory, this same sight breaking him once before, when Master Asher had floated in a similar tank aboard a Venator-class destroyer. That moment had driven him from the Jedi, set him on a path that would see him survive Order 66 and lead him here. The Force, it seemed, had a peculiar way of teaching its lessons. Or perhaps this time was different.

"The medical droids say he's stable," Lyra said softly. "But they can't tell when—or if—he'll wake up."

Of course they can't, Edric thought, tasting bitterness in his mouth.

Sid hovered nearby, his usual energy subdued. He glanced at him, saw how his head hung low, shoulder slouched and his fists were clenched. Even without the Force he could tell of the boy's turmoil, an echo of what had gripped him when he had found Master Asher. Like seeing himself in a strange mirror.

Edric closed his eyes, reaching out to the Force. The connection now came like muscle-memory, similar to just picking his lightsaber off his belt. He sensed Max's consciousness—not trapped in darkness like Kael had been, but adrift.

"He's still there," Edric said quietly. "And I can help him find his way home." He offered Lyra a gentle smile before releasing her hand and placing both palms against the tank. Drawing a deep breath, he let the Force carry him down into the depths of Max's consciousness.

Rain hammered against duracrete, the distant ocean a gray smudge beneath artificial islands dotting the horizon. Half-built ships loomed in their dry docks while others rose through the storm clouds on maiden voyages. Through sheets of icy rain, Edric made out a cantina's grimy windows at the corner. He slowly understood where he was: Coronet City, on Corellia—where Max grew up. He squinted his eyes to see through the small and dirty windows of the bar, but he couldn't make anything out. The Force moved sluggishly here, as if underwater, and the streets stood empty. With nowhere else to go, he pushed inside.

The door's seal broke with a hiss. Stale alcohol and greasy food assaulted his senses, reminiscent of The Rusty Blaster back on Coruscant. A jukebox thundered with frontier music from the Outer Rim—raw, soulful notes he had heard aboard the Beast. The lyrics were simple and catchy, talking about the adventures of a brave smuggler. Above the melody, someone hummed along, the sound drawing him deeper into the cantina. He rounded a booth to find Max, grinning wide as he tapped the rhythm against his ale.

The bounty hunter nearly choked on his drink when he spotted Edric. "Karabast, can't let an old man have a little me time, can you, kid?" Max's eyes crinkled.

Edric pulled up a stool across from him. "We need to go, Max."

"But I just ordered pie," Max protested, either ignoring or unaware that they were the only souls in the empty cantina.

"I need you, Max. Sid needs you."

The words struck something in the bounty hunter. Max's grin faltered, his eyes going distant. Edric felt the memory surge—the explosion, the fear, the pain—before a thunder and Max slammed it down along with his pint onto the table. The grin returned, his glass mysteriously full again.

"You'll both be fine. I've earned some rest," he said with a wink.

Edric crossed his arms, head shaking. "Right, then. We're selling the Beast for a proper ship—"

"Now hold on one kriffing minute." Max's finger jabbed the air. "Nobody touches my baby."

"Well, since you're checking out..."

Max's frown deepened, the facade cracking. "Do I have to go back? It's... nice here."

Edric looked around. Nice wasn't exactly the word he would have used.

"For now," Edric said softly. "But this place isn't real. And it will change for something much worse. And then it changes you, even if you don't realize it yet. It changed my Master." He leaned forward. "Max, I know it's hard. But you said it yourself after seeing me fight. You know I won't give up. You know you can't give up. Because we all need you."

Edric's voice cracked on the last words, memories of everyone he had lost threatening to overwhelm him despite everything he had learned. He couldn't lose Max too—not after Edwin, not after Master Asher. The Force around them pulsed with his longing.

Max swallowed hard, fighting down the turmoil Edric sensed churning within him. They both knew the truth: just as Max had once pulled Edric from his own darkness, now it was time to return that gift.

The bounty hunter mumbled something under his breath, then pulled his lips into a familiar smirk. "Alright, chubby. Let's go."

Max extended his hand. Edric grabbed it without hesitation, his grip fierce. He closed his eyes, letting the Force lift them both, the cantina dissolving into darkness as they soared upward until—

Edric gasped as Max's eyes snapped open in the tank. The bounty hunter's thumb rose weakly in acknowledgment, his face contorted with pain. Through the bacta, tears streamed freely down his weathered cheeks.

"Max!" Lyra and Sid's voices merged into a single cry of relief. Edric pressed his forehead against the surface of the tank, his own tears mixing with the condensation. The warmth flooding his chest had nothing to do with anger—it was relief.

The medical droid from a nearby bed came around at the noises the machines were making and shooed them further away.

"He'll be alright, we are taking him out now," it explained before gesturing to some of its companions.

As the medical droids worked to extract Max from the bacta tank, Edric sneaked back close, his hand never leaving the glass. The moment Max's feet touched the ground, he stumbled forward, still weak from his ordeal. Edric caught him, supporting his weight.

"Easy there, old man," Edric said, his voice rough with his mouth running dry now.

"Who're you calling old?" Max rasped, but his grip on Edric's arm was fierce. "That place you pulled me from... it wasn't just a cantina, was it?"

Edric shook his head. "No. It was where you might have stayed if I hadn't found you."

Max was quiet for a long moment, his breathing ragged. "Thank you, kid," he finally whispered. "For not giving up on me." His eyes met Edric's, and in them was everything they had never said aloud – the trust, the pride, the love of a father for his son.

"Learned from the best," Edric replied with a small smile. "Someone once told me getting knocked down isn't what matters. It's getting back up."

Max's chuckle turned into a wince. "Sounds like a wise guy."

"Don't let it go to your head."

The command center hummed with subdued chatter as they gathered around the holotable. Edric stood among the surviving squad leads, with Lyra and Sid at his side. Rono's weathered face bore the marks of exhaustion, but a slight curl at the corner of his mouth hinted at satisfaction. The empty spaces where Commander Serra and Ursk should have stood spoke volumes in their silence. Rono straightened, clasping his hands behind his back. The Duros's throat-clearing drew all eyes to him.

"Thank you. To all of you," his voice carried across the room. "Let us remember those who gave their lives for today's victory."

Heads bowed in unison. Edric closed his eyes, Edwin's final moments replaying behind his eyelids—the sacrifice that ensured Edric would live to carry their legacy forward. The holocron's loss complicated that path, but perhaps Dantooine held answers. The Kane family had other artifacts, and even Edwin told of other families with similar responsibilities. Maybe there was more to it all than he realized.

His thoughts drifted to Master Asher. In the end, his mentor had found his way back to the light, even if briefly. He hadn't been consumed entirely by the darkness that claimed so many. He stumbled yes, but so did Edric and so many other Jedi before them. Edric silently thanked him for everything—the teachings, the unwavering faith in a small boy who once doubted he could ever truly touch the Force.

"Thank you," Rono's voice pulled them back. "We made a difference today. We proved the Empire isn't invincible. We can find them. Kill them. Destroy their fortresses." He paced slowly, his gaze touching each exhausted face. "Commander Serra gave her life so our forces could breach their gates. Ursk sacrificed himself to extract their intelligence." His fist rose. "Their lives will not be lost in vain!"

The room erupted in cheers that transformed into a chant of names of the fallen. Edric watched in silence. While he was glad it was a victory, his eyes were starting to get heavier by the second. Rono's raised hand gradually brought quiet.

"The data we've recovered revealed several new targets for Partisan operations." Rono paused, his eyes finding Lyra. Through the Force, Edric felt her heartbeat quicken. "Including a prison camp on Wobani where they're holding your father, Lyra."

Lyra's sharp intake of breath cut through the silence. Edric grabbed her hand to steady her as cheers filled the space once more. But Lyra's attention remained locked on Rono, shock transforming into steel resolve. Even without rest, that familiar fire blazed in her eyes—ready to take on the Empire itself.

She turned to Edric, and in one fluid motion pulled him into a kiss. The command center's sounds faded for Edric. In that brief moment, everything they had endured flowed between them—their shared grief, their gratitude for survival, the lifting of an impossible weight. And beneath it all, like a star breaking through storm clouds, something else: hope.

"Lyra," Edric whispered as they pulled apart. "All the way, remember?"

Her gaze drilled into his as she nodded.

Dantooine's twin moons cast their ethereal light across the grasslands, painting the world in shifting hues of purple and green. Edric's family stood among the swaying fields, the funeral pyres rose before them, built from timber Edric had cut from the tree he meditated under days earlier—his final gift to those who had shaped his path. The flames reached tentatively for Edwin and Master Asher, as if the fire itself was paying respect to the two beings who had walked so closely with the Force.

Lyra's hand rested between Edric's shoulder blades, an anchor in the storm of his emotions. To his right, Sid supported Max on one side, who had insisted on attending despite his injuries—a gesture whose meaning ran deeper than words could express. A handful of Partisans gathered with them, most clustering near Edwin's pyre, their uncertainty about the Inquisitor's presence on the other evident in their stances. Edric understood their hesitation. Some things were too complex to explain.

As the flames finally reached Edwin's feet, the past folded over the present, quiet and insistent, like an old song playing in the distance: their first meeting, the strange immediacy of their connection, the way Edwin had become more than a mentor—a true brother, with all the complexity that entailed. Sometimes frustrating, often judgmental, but always, always caring.

The flames danced higher, and with them rose Edric's memories of Edwin. The way his brother's eyes had lit up when teaching him new ways to handle his emotions, his quiet pride when Edric mastered a particularly difficult technique. The sound of his rare laughter during their sparring matches and Edric's quips, the steadfast presence that had filled gaps in Edric's life he hadn't known existed.

His gaze shifted to Master Asher's pyre. He could almost see his old master's gentle smile, watching him train with that quiet pride that had helped Edric push himself further. Master Asher had taught him the foundations of the Force, shown him its light. Edwin had taught him to accept its shadows, to find balance in the grey spaces between. Together, they had helped shape him into something neither Jedi nor outlaw, something uniquely his own.

I wish I could tell you both what you meant to me, he sent the thought into the Force like a message in a bottle cast into an infinite sea, hoping somehow their spirits would catch its echo. A tear traced down his cheek, unnoticed until a warm breeze from the pyres brushed his face like a comforting touch.

His heart ached, with holes in it that ran deeper than any chasm. The lump in his throat felt more suffocating than the acrid smog of Coruscant's depths. But here, under Dantooine's twin moons, Edric finally allowed himself to feel the full weight of his loss. He let the carefully constructed walls within him crack and crumble, allowed the tide of emotion to sweep through him, flooding every corner of his being. This pain was part of his path, as natural as breathing, as essential as the Force itself. He no longer needed to fear its power or fight against its pull. Let it come, like every trial he had faced. These souls who had shaped him, guided him, loved him—they deserved his tears, his memories, the raw truth of his grief.

"Edric?" Sid's voice quavered. "Are... are you seeing this?"

Following Sid's trembling finger, Edric's eyes widened. Beyond the shimmering heat, through the golden curtain of flames, two figures stood wrapped in azure light that seemed to cool the very air around them. Lyra and Max's confused questions faded to background noise as Edric's world narrowed to this impossible moment.

There they stood—Edwin and Master Asher, their forms translucent yet undeniably present. His master offered that familiar slight bow of farewell, while Edwin's wave carried all his characteristic warmth. As they turned away, their voices merged in Edric's mind, clear as temple bells:

You are never alone, Edric.

Edric and Lyra walked hand in hand through the swaying fields. The farmhouse's lights glowed warmly in the distance, the plains now empty save for the Beast. Inside, Max was probably arguing with Sid about a pillow under his leg being too soft. Their voices would carry through the old halls, bringing life back to rooms that had stood empty for too long.

Edric felt the Force flowing around them like a river finding its natural course. It wasn't the rigid light of the Jedi Temple, nor the consuming darkness of Kael's fortress. Here, on these ancient plains where his ancestors had walked, the Force simply was—light and dark, joy and sorrow, past and future, all moving in perfect harmony.

He thought of Edwin's lesson about balance, about accepting all parts of himself. The anger, the anxiety that had once threatened to consume him was of course still there, but transformed—not a raging fire, but a contained flame that could warm as well as burn. Like the twin moons above, like the cycle of seasons, like life itself.

"What are you thinking about?" Lyra asked, noticing his distant expression.

"Just this place," he said simply, and in that word was everything, the legacy he carried, the love he had found, the possible future they could build together. "When do you want to leave for Wobani?" Edric asked softly, his thumb tracing circles on Lyra's palm.

"Rono says his people need a few weeks to recover, gather intelligence." She leaned into him, her head finding the familiar spot on his shoulder. "And honestly... I could use the rest too."

Edric nodded, understanding. They all carried scars from Prakith—some visible, others hidden deeper.

"You know," Lyra continued, "I've been thinking about after. When we find my dad." She gestured to the endless plains stretching before them. "There's something about this place. It feels..."

"Like home?" Edric finished for her with a raised brow. The Force hummed in agreement, as steady as his own heartbeat. He smiled.

"Max says he and Sid will head out after," Lyra said. "Back to bounty hunting. Though I'm pretty sure Sid's more excited about tinkering with the Beast than catching criminals."

Edric smiled, remembering his conversation with the boy earlier. "He says he's not ready for training yet. But someday..."

"When he is, you'll be here," Lyra squeezed his hand. "We'll be here."

They stopped walking, turning to face each other. The moons cast a gentle glow on Lyra's face as she reached up to trace his beard. "Are you sure this is what you want? Settling down after all your adventures?"

Edric caught her hand, pressing a kiss to her palm. "I spent so long running—from the Order, from myself. But now?" He glanced back at the farmhouse, then out across the plains where his sanctuary had always lived in his mind. "Now I know where I belong." His lips pulled into a grin. "Besides, it seems adventure usually finds me."

Lyra's smile could have outshone both moons. She pressed her lips to his in a kiss that tasted of promise. When they parted, Edric rested his forehead against hers, breathing in the moment.

The tall grass swayed around them, dancing to an ancient rhythm. Somewhere in the distance, a night bird called to its mate. And through it all, the Force flowed—not light, not dark, but balanced. Like the stars above. Like life itself.

Like coming home.

Epilogue

A few weeks later…

The Beast lifted into Dantooine's atmosphere, leaving behind the golden plains that had become home. Edric's hand found Lyra's on the armrest between them, their fingers intertwining with familiar ease. She turned to him with that smile that still made his heart skip, mouthing "Love you." He returned the words, meaning them more each time.

As they broke through the clouds, a ripple in the Force caught Edric's attention—subtle at first, like a whisper almost lost in the wind. But as he focused, letting his newfound connection guide him, the source became clear. The ripple emanated from Lyra's core, a tiny spark of life pulsing with its own Force signature, distinct yet somehow carrying echoes of both of them.

Edric's breath caught in his throat. His mind went blank, all thoughts of their mission temporarily scattered like leaves in a storm. He stared at the viewscreen without seeing it, his mouth slightly open, heart thundering in his chest.

"Kid?" Max's voice cut through his daze. "You look like you've seen a ghost. Again." The old bounty hunter studied him from the pilot's seat, concern mixing with his wry humor. "Did you forget your lightsaber at home or something?"

"No, nothing like that," Edric managed, unable to suppress the grin spreading across his face. His head felt lighter than air, and he had to draw several deep breaths to steady himself. The Force had never been clearer about anything—there was no mistaking what he sensed. But now wasn't the time. They had a mission ahead, a father to rescue. Telling the others, even Lyra, would only complicate things when they needed focus most.

He caught himself watching Lyra's profile, wondering how she would react when she learned. Another adventure, perhaps their greatest yet, was just beginning. But for now, he would keep this discovery close to his heart, like a secret flame warming him from within. He had to just focus on what was ahead of him, like Master Asher taught.

One step at a time.

Author's notes

First of all a GIANT THANK YOU you for reading! If you've gotten this far, I really really appreciate it and hope you enjoyed Edric's story!

I'd like to thank all the folks who took the time to write reviews. Even short ones are MAJORLY motivating so please keep them coming!
Robin tales fighter, KensingtonBlock, devinokboy, Kevin-Vandevoorde, Dante687, aaroncouhig07, swparallelknarrative

Also - check out their profiles, they all have great stories that NEED to be read.

Phew, this was… tough! It's technically the second "long" fic I've ever finished but the first one where I actually had mostly everything planned well in advance with a few exceptions, but still the first one in Star Wars. I set out to challenge myself and try to write a chapter every week–of course that wasn't exactly sustainable, so I slipped a couple of times, but I knew that sometimes you just need to get some rest and come back stronger.

Edric's story had been in my head for the better part of 10 years. There were of course different versions of it, like one where he is a very big devotee to the Jedi Order and Order 66 would play an even bigger role. Few things were already there even in the first version: him losing his master to an injury, his doubts in himself, the whole subplot about a powerful holocron (with different powers in each version), how he would be found by his brother/father and an Inquisitor chasing them, and even Max existed - or at least the way he would be taking up bounty hunting with a burnt out scoundrel. If we talk specifics, there was a 'parkour' chase with Edric and his brother vs the Inquisitor on a random planet, jumping from rooftop to rooftop. I cut from here because it really didn't make much sense, say, at the Daiyu part, however cool it sounds! The main beats essentially were always there, but his journey was just slightly different each time.

I also reduced an initially planned 5 year time jump to just 1 (and maybe a half?) year – much easier to keep the characters growing throughout the story. Five years would have been waay too much and the whole "Edric doubting himself" wouldn't work that well after 5 years with someone like Max.

I've cut a massive amount of 'side quests' from this story in favor of the main plot, that now looking back I may add back on my rewrites (these were mainly there for Max's and Sid's character journeys).

Because yes, there will definitely be some slight or major edits, rewrites as while I'm proud I managed to finish this, it's littered with continuity errors, waay too many repeated imagery/simile, and so many issues that it's probably best I stop here listing them.

Also. Other POVs. I definitely wanted to tell Edric's story, but the side characters really grew on me and they are fighting in my head to be HEARD. So yes, I shall add some more POVs here and there to help their journeys too and add some more depth to Edric's.

Maybe even some one-shots. And even a sequel?

When will that happen? I have no idea. I'm not setting any expectations for myself as I really don't want to burn out either. I'm doing this for fun, after all, in my very limited free time.

I'm actually really curious about what YOU, the readers think - edits, new POVs, one-shots or a full on sequel next? Let me know in the reviews or DMs!

And once again, THANK YOU!