“Keep your guard up Cedwyn Blaidd. You are only allowing your enemies to break you if you keep lowering your blade. Stand strong, even when you are exhausted, break their will before you allow them to break yours.” His Master lectured as she tapped his tired, sore arms with her wooden blade. It was a gentle touch to remind him.
Cedwyn nodded his head, being 15, he was taller, stronger and tougher than most of his peers but he never felt overconfident or felt a need to be egotistical over the fact that he was better. Because as his Master reminded him often, he wasn’t better, he was better skilled in areas they might not be but he had his own limitations where others didn’t. It had been a struggle to keep his ego in check for a long time but he found balance, a way to ensure he wasn’t slipping towards the darkness and holding a belief that he held some god-like powers, which he didn’t. Just seeing his Master train, the skill she held with a blade proved beyond a doubt that she was much more skilled than he was. A mastery he could only aspire towards.
Moving through the Form again, Cedwyn was practising Niman, it was the trickiest Form so far mostly because it depended a lot on previous knowledge and understanding from all the other Lightsaber Forms. His Master had spent years and countless hours on ensuring that he progressed safely, properly and ensured that he excelled where others might have failed by now. His Echani combat training had been completed though they still practised the different forms as a warm up and to keep the culture and connectedness to it alive. Cedwyn found himself capable with two blades as equally effective as he was with a single Lightsaber but plans for him to build a second Lightsaber were on hold for now. He needed to ensure that he could demonstrate to his Master that he was trained enough to expand further down that route.
Vaapad was the next Form that Jedi had but he knew there were no immediate plans for him to learn it. Vaapad was a Form that only the most resilient and skilled Jedi could learn, something that Cedwyn was far from. His Master informed him that if he proved capable and worthy as a Jedi Knight then she would teach it but not till then. It was a goal, achievable but still far enough that he wasn’t sure it was possible. There would be a while till he was ready to take his trials. Cedwyn held these thoughts deep in his mind as he worked through the form, his body ached from the long morning and afternoon spent running through the drills almost endlessly. He finished and then panted hard as he felt the sweat dripping from his forehead and causing his shirt to cling to his pale body.
“Catch your breath Cedwyn, take a drink. It is well earned and we are nearly done for the day.” His Master stated, she didn’t need to encourage him again as he rushed over to his drink bottle and drank plenty of water as he hydrated himself and took a seat.
Looking over to her, he saw his Master placing the wooden sword away. “Are we not continuing the Form training Master?” Cedwyn asked curiously though his voice was still cracking between high and low tones thanks to puberty.
Shaking her head, his Master turned to him, “No. That is plenty enough with Niman, you will master that soon enough and I am sure that you will exceed even my skills in it at this rate Cedwyn. No, next I want us to meditate and explore some of the natural Force. Have you sense what is around us and feel how the Force connects us. I know this is something you have already learnt to do,” she stated as he went to protest, “but it is important to keep such practices up. A Jedi needs to do this to value the lives around them, to feel the connections that we make whether intentional or not. You cannot fight for peace or protect people if you hold no connections or feelings towards them.”
After a moment, Cedwyn felt his body relax and his heart return to a steady, slow hard beating as he shifted from his spot and sat opposite his Master. She guided him through the meditation, to relax his muscles, let his thoughts wander away and to ensure that he centred himself once more in the moment. It took awhile to let his thoughts wander away since he kept feeling them attempt to distract and drag him away into wondering why his Master insisted that they repeated training he had completed as a youngling. However, he eventually found himself sitting there, relaxed and his mind devoid of thought. As this happened, he could feel the Force flowing through him. It did not emanate from him like a pulse but flowed through him, he could sense the Force flowing through his Master, the connection that they shared with the Force. How it was binding them as Master and Padawan were meant to be bound, how the Force connected him to others in the Temple but it was also connecting him to plants, to animals, to nature.
It was beautiful and it was something he had not realised as a youngling. Something that had been lost due to his inability to comprehend such brevity and beauty. However, as he felt all this, felt the strength and beauty, even some of the chaos that nature held, he felt a coldness. A chill that sent strong shivers down his spine. Something unnatural, something that went against the way of the Force that he had known. “Master, what… What is that coldness?” He asked, unsure what it was that he felt.
“The cold…?” She started to ask before leaping to her feet, igniting her Lightsaber instantly, filling the training room in a deep blue glow. “The Sith!” She growled, it was clear that whoever this was, it was not someone that she was happy to sense.
Stumbling onto his feet, Cedwyn pulled out his Lightsaber as well, looking unsure and confused. “Sith? I didn’t think Sith could find us here though?” He had long been told that the Sith would never find them since there was no reason to search out such a small Order of Jedi.
Whatever reasoning that his Master would have offered was not given as the screams and noise of fighting began to increase as it was clear they were here. Looking to Cedwyn, his Master squeezed his shoulder, “this fight. It is not one you are ready for Padawan. I need you to run, find safety or some way off this world. Search out an Order and stay there till I come for you. Understood Cedwyn?” His Master spoke in a stern, firm tone that gave no room for arguing. No matter how much he wished to stay by her side.
Realising that he had to just trust the Force that she would find him, he switched his Lightsaber off and turned around to head out the opposite door that his Master was facing. He knew she was strong, that she would win, she had always won. Beaten every Jedi in sparring contests, was considered to be the strongest fighter of this small Temple.
Just as he got the chance to open the door to flee, he heard a sinister voice. A voice that spoke with such darkness that it chilled Cedwyn, froze him in place. He was told to leave, he needed to leave to ensure his Master could fight without concerns for him but his body wouldn’t listen. Instead he remained. Stuck in place and only able to see the six Sith Lords entering the room. They circled around his Master as she fell into a defensive stance. The determination was clear on her face but Cedwyn felt a pit in his stomach that these Sith would end her life. He wanted to scream and plead for her to flee with him but nothing came out.
All he could do was stand there and watch.
As he remained frozen in fear, his Master demonstrated her skills in fighting. Moving with a graceful motion but with lightning speed, she blocked several attacks and moved to slash and counter several of the blows being struck at her. It was like watching a dancer in motion but Cedwyn could read her body, in a way only an Echani could and saw the concern, the fear and the uncertainty in her movements. His Master did not plan to survive this, she was not sure she could survive this and her only goal was to make sure that Cedwyn got out of here. However, as much as he tried to will his legs to move, to run, he felt frozen in place.
Fighting to ensure Cedwyn survived, to ensure she could get him to safety, his Master handled four out of the five Sith Lords that fought her, the sixth had not moved. Their gaze was fixed on watching what was happening. It seemed like the Sith was observing a show or watching a demonstration and not a fight for people’s lives. When Cedwyn’s Master stood strong, only a little out of breath, while all but one of the Sith Lords had fallen to her blade, Cedwyn could feel some hope inside him building. Attempting to thaw him from this frozen prison. The sixth Sith Lord only laughed at the death of the others, igniting two blades and stepping forward.
They seemed to glide, not walk as they moved centre stage. Cedwyn wondered if they even had legs since it seemed so fluid of a motion and the heavy cloak the Sith was wearing concealed both their identity and physique. Cedwyn’s Master stood opposite the Sith, guarding the Padawan and taking a strong defensive stance once more. The Sith loomed ominous in front, seemingly sapping all the hope that was trying to burn in Cedwyn. The fight between the two felt long but also incredibly short. Time seemed to freeze as they waited for whoever would make the first move. After that, it was a blur, Lightsabers clashed, with skill and precision that Cedwyn could only dream of. It took less than a minute for the fight to conclude.
His Master impaled through the heart. With both of the red Lightsabers piercing through her. The Sith Lord moved in close, whispering something unintelligible to his Master before the Sith let her body fall and hit the ground hard. Cedwyn watched in disbelief. His mind couldn’t process all that had just happened, his Master couldn’t be dead. How was she going to save him? Find him when he was on another world surrounded by strangers? He still needed to learn so much from her.
His stunned disbelief formed in pain. His pain led into anger as he couldn’t believe that she failed him. She swore to always protect him but where was she now?! No, she lied, she failed him. The anger built inside Cedwyn until it was unbearable, until it exploded out of him in a scream that finally unfroze him from his spot. The Force Scream rippled through the air and slammed into the Sith Lord. The scream had torn at Cedwyn’s throat, once he finished, he fell to his knees and wondered what he would do next. What would his Master do next? Did it matter at this point? What she did was go and get herself killed!
Cedwyn decided to harness the anger, to attack. It was dumb but he had to avenge his Master. Igniting his purple Lightsaber, he rushed forward and gestured to Force Push, however using his anger triggered a crackling of lightning to erupt and head towards the Sith. The lightning was easily absorbed and a stronger, red blast of Force Lightning erupted from the Sith Lord’s fingertips and blasted towards Cedwyn.
The pain was searing. It was something he had never experienced before and it was unimaginable pain. Cedwyn fell to the floor and was writhing in agony. Unable to scream or cry out since the pain was too much. The raw power that this Sith Lord was demonstrating was much stronger than Cedwyn thought a person could be. It was devastating and by the time that the Force Lightning had ended, all Cedwyn could do was writhe in pain and feel the tears streaming down his face.
“This one has potential. Some breaking is needed but the raw potential is still there.” A voice stated before Cedwyn blacked out. The lingering pain was too much for his body to cope with.
The alleyway was dark. Night had fallen several hours previously as Cedwyn clinged to the shadows. He had been given a contract to assassinate someone. The details had been vague but records showed this was a leader of some small but troublesome gang that had not faced the justice deserved through bribes and careful hiding.
It was Cedwyn’s job to deliver justice. Some might see it as vengeance or vigilante work. To Cedwyn it was all the same. He was ensuring someone who was doing harm was removed from the streets. Unable to continue the harm that they were creating. Pulling his sword from his sheathe, he moved into position above the target, waiting till the time arrived for when they were alone. Luck was on his side as it did not take long and Cedwyn jumped down, stabbing hard into the chest of the target. Piercing through, he looked into the target’s eyes and whispered them a goodbye.
Pulling his blade out, he wiped it clean of blood and sighed. It was another job done, he sheathed his blade and paused. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up, his body felt alarmed and concerned but he could not see anyone around.
I am always with you Cedwyn, I feel only sorrow for the path you are taking. The voice of his Master echoed all around him.
A sharp intake of breath, he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. It was a voice from someone long dead. Someone he had not heard in years. With a tone of only sorrow, not disappointment. However, anger still clawed at his heart, still fresh after all these years. “I do what I do to survive. I survived and you died. I am only stronger for enduring as I have and embracing who I am.” He growled in anger but no reply came and his body calmed, the voice clearly having left.
All he could think was he survived. That was what the Sith had said. He survived where other Jedi died, only because he was willing to embrace the dark.
Cedwyn nodded his head, being 15, he was taller, stronger and tougher than most of his peers but he never felt overconfident or felt a need to be egotistical over the fact that he was better. Because as his Master reminded him often, he wasn’t better, he was better skilled in areas they might not be but he had his own limitations where others didn’t. It had been a struggle to keep his ego in check for a long time but he found balance, a way to ensure he wasn’t slipping towards the darkness and holding a belief that he held some god-like powers, which he didn’t. Just seeing his Master train, the skill she held with a blade proved beyond a doubt that she was much more skilled than he was. A mastery he could only aspire towards.
Moving through the Form again, Cedwyn was practising Niman, it was the trickiest Form so far mostly because it depended a lot on previous knowledge and understanding from all the other Lightsaber Forms. His Master had spent years and countless hours on ensuring that he progressed safely, properly and ensured that he excelled where others might have failed by now. His Echani combat training had been completed though they still practised the different forms as a warm up and to keep the culture and connectedness to it alive. Cedwyn found himself capable with two blades as equally effective as he was with a single Lightsaber but plans for him to build a second Lightsaber were on hold for now. He needed to ensure that he could demonstrate to his Master that he was trained enough to expand further down that route.
Vaapad was the next Form that Jedi had but he knew there were no immediate plans for him to learn it. Vaapad was a Form that only the most resilient and skilled Jedi could learn, something that Cedwyn was far from. His Master informed him that if he proved capable and worthy as a Jedi Knight then she would teach it but not till then. It was a goal, achievable but still far enough that he wasn’t sure it was possible. There would be a while till he was ready to take his trials. Cedwyn held these thoughts deep in his mind as he worked through the form, his body ached from the long morning and afternoon spent running through the drills almost endlessly. He finished and then panted hard as he felt the sweat dripping from his forehead and causing his shirt to cling to his pale body.
“Catch your breath Cedwyn, take a drink. It is well earned and we are nearly done for the day.” His Master stated, she didn’t need to encourage him again as he rushed over to his drink bottle and drank plenty of water as he hydrated himself and took a seat.
Looking over to her, he saw his Master placing the wooden sword away. “Are we not continuing the Form training Master?” Cedwyn asked curiously though his voice was still cracking between high and low tones thanks to puberty.
Shaking her head, his Master turned to him, “No. That is plenty enough with Niman, you will master that soon enough and I am sure that you will exceed even my skills in it at this rate Cedwyn. No, next I want us to meditate and explore some of the natural Force. Have you sense what is around us and feel how the Force connects us. I know this is something you have already learnt to do,” she stated as he went to protest, “but it is important to keep such practices up. A Jedi needs to do this to value the lives around them, to feel the connections that we make whether intentional or not. You cannot fight for peace or protect people if you hold no connections or feelings towards them.”
After a moment, Cedwyn felt his body relax and his heart return to a steady, slow hard beating as he shifted from his spot and sat opposite his Master. She guided him through the meditation, to relax his muscles, let his thoughts wander away and to ensure that he centred himself once more in the moment. It took awhile to let his thoughts wander away since he kept feeling them attempt to distract and drag him away into wondering why his Master insisted that they repeated training he had completed as a youngling. However, he eventually found himself sitting there, relaxed and his mind devoid of thought. As this happened, he could feel the Force flowing through him. It did not emanate from him like a pulse but flowed through him, he could sense the Force flowing through his Master, the connection that they shared with the Force. How it was binding them as Master and Padawan were meant to be bound, how the Force connected him to others in the Temple but it was also connecting him to plants, to animals, to nature.
It was beautiful and it was something he had not realised as a youngling. Something that had been lost due to his inability to comprehend such brevity and beauty. However, as he felt all this, felt the strength and beauty, even some of the chaos that nature held, he felt a coldness. A chill that sent strong shivers down his spine. Something unnatural, something that went against the way of the Force that he had known. “Master, what… What is that coldness?” He asked, unsure what it was that he felt.
“The cold…?” She started to ask before leaping to her feet, igniting her Lightsaber instantly, filling the training room in a deep blue glow. “The Sith!” She growled, it was clear that whoever this was, it was not someone that she was happy to sense.
Stumbling onto his feet, Cedwyn pulled out his Lightsaber as well, looking unsure and confused. “Sith? I didn’t think Sith could find us here though?” He had long been told that the Sith would never find them since there was no reason to search out such a small Order of Jedi.
Whatever reasoning that his Master would have offered was not given as the screams and noise of fighting began to increase as it was clear they were here. Looking to Cedwyn, his Master squeezed his shoulder, “this fight. It is not one you are ready for Padawan. I need you to run, find safety or some way off this world. Search out an Order and stay there till I come for you. Understood Cedwyn?” His Master spoke in a stern, firm tone that gave no room for arguing. No matter how much he wished to stay by her side.
Realising that he had to just trust the Force that she would find him, he switched his Lightsaber off and turned around to head out the opposite door that his Master was facing. He knew she was strong, that she would win, she had always won. Beaten every Jedi in sparring contests, was considered to be the strongest fighter of this small Temple.
Just as he got the chance to open the door to flee, he heard a sinister voice. A voice that spoke with such darkness that it chilled Cedwyn, froze him in place. He was told to leave, he needed to leave to ensure his Master could fight without concerns for him but his body wouldn’t listen. Instead he remained. Stuck in place and only able to see the six Sith Lords entering the room. They circled around his Master as she fell into a defensive stance. The determination was clear on her face but Cedwyn felt a pit in his stomach that these Sith would end her life. He wanted to scream and plead for her to flee with him but nothing came out.
All he could do was stand there and watch.
As he remained frozen in fear, his Master demonstrated her skills in fighting. Moving with a graceful motion but with lightning speed, she blocked several attacks and moved to slash and counter several of the blows being struck at her. It was like watching a dancer in motion but Cedwyn could read her body, in a way only an Echani could and saw the concern, the fear and the uncertainty in her movements. His Master did not plan to survive this, she was not sure she could survive this and her only goal was to make sure that Cedwyn got out of here. However, as much as he tried to will his legs to move, to run, he felt frozen in place.
Fighting to ensure Cedwyn survived, to ensure she could get him to safety, his Master handled four out of the five Sith Lords that fought her, the sixth had not moved. Their gaze was fixed on watching what was happening. It seemed like the Sith was observing a show or watching a demonstration and not a fight for people’s lives. When Cedwyn’s Master stood strong, only a little out of breath, while all but one of the Sith Lords had fallen to her blade, Cedwyn could feel some hope inside him building. Attempting to thaw him from this frozen prison. The sixth Sith Lord only laughed at the death of the others, igniting two blades and stepping forward.
They seemed to glide, not walk as they moved centre stage. Cedwyn wondered if they even had legs since it seemed so fluid of a motion and the heavy cloak the Sith was wearing concealed both their identity and physique. Cedwyn’s Master stood opposite the Sith, guarding the Padawan and taking a strong defensive stance once more. The Sith loomed ominous in front, seemingly sapping all the hope that was trying to burn in Cedwyn. The fight between the two felt long but also incredibly short. Time seemed to freeze as they waited for whoever would make the first move. After that, it was a blur, Lightsabers clashed, with skill and precision that Cedwyn could only dream of. It took less than a minute for the fight to conclude.
His Master impaled through the heart. With both of the red Lightsabers piercing through her. The Sith Lord moved in close, whispering something unintelligible to his Master before the Sith let her body fall and hit the ground hard. Cedwyn watched in disbelief. His mind couldn’t process all that had just happened, his Master couldn’t be dead. How was she going to save him? Find him when he was on another world surrounded by strangers? He still needed to learn so much from her.
His stunned disbelief formed in pain. His pain led into anger as he couldn’t believe that she failed him. She swore to always protect him but where was she now?! No, she lied, she failed him. The anger built inside Cedwyn until it was unbearable, until it exploded out of him in a scream that finally unfroze him from his spot. The Force Scream rippled through the air and slammed into the Sith Lord. The scream had torn at Cedwyn’s throat, once he finished, he fell to his knees and wondered what he would do next. What would his Master do next? Did it matter at this point? What she did was go and get herself killed!
Cedwyn decided to harness the anger, to attack. It was dumb but he had to avenge his Master. Igniting his purple Lightsaber, he rushed forward and gestured to Force Push, however using his anger triggered a crackling of lightning to erupt and head towards the Sith. The lightning was easily absorbed and a stronger, red blast of Force Lightning erupted from the Sith Lord’s fingertips and blasted towards Cedwyn.
The pain was searing. It was something he had never experienced before and it was unimaginable pain. Cedwyn fell to the floor and was writhing in agony. Unable to scream or cry out since the pain was too much. The raw power that this Sith Lord was demonstrating was much stronger than Cedwyn thought a person could be. It was devastating and by the time that the Force Lightning had ended, all Cedwyn could do was writhe in pain and feel the tears streaming down his face.
“This one has potential. Some breaking is needed but the raw potential is still there.” A voice stated before Cedwyn blacked out. The lingering pain was too much for his body to cope with.
20 Years Later
The alleyway was dark. Night had fallen several hours previously as Cedwyn clinged to the shadows. He had been given a contract to assassinate someone. The details had been vague but records showed this was a leader of some small but troublesome gang that had not faced the justice deserved through bribes and careful hiding.
It was Cedwyn’s job to deliver justice. Some might see it as vengeance or vigilante work. To Cedwyn it was all the same. He was ensuring someone who was doing harm was removed from the streets. Unable to continue the harm that they were creating. Pulling his sword from his sheathe, he moved into position above the target, waiting till the time arrived for when they were alone. Luck was on his side as it did not take long and Cedwyn jumped down, stabbing hard into the chest of the target. Piercing through, he looked into the target’s eyes and whispered them a goodbye.
Pulling his blade out, he wiped it clean of blood and sighed. It was another job done, he sheathed his blade and paused. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up, his body felt alarmed and concerned but he could not see anyone around.
I am always with you Cedwyn, I feel only sorrow for the path you are taking. The voice of his Master echoed all around him.
A sharp intake of breath, he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. It was a voice from someone long dead. Someone he had not heard in years. With a tone of only sorrow, not disappointment. However, anger still clawed at his heart, still fresh after all these years. “I do what I do to survive. I survived and you died. I am only stronger for enduring as I have and embracing who I am.” He growled in anger but no reply came and his body calmed, the voice clearly having left.
All he could think was he survived. That was what the Sith had said. He survived where other Jedi died, only because he was willing to embrace the dark.
