“You are not my Master. Do not command me as if you were. You have no authority over me. Got it?”
She didn't have to wait long for him to move on to the next task at hand. He had defeated her, clearly demonstrating her lack of combative prowess. She stood, no longer posing a threat to him.
"If only I had a credit for every time I've heard that before," he remarked dismissively, his tone dripping with indifference. He didn't care whether she respected his dominance.
"I'd be rich."
With a subtle gesture, he extended his hand. The Force responded to his will, securing and locking several items on his person. His lightsaber, now deactivated, clipped to his belt with a satisfying snap. He padded ahead, the soles of his boots crinkling leaves and snapping twigs underfoot, each step echoing in the eerie silence of the forest.
The forest was dense, shadows cast by the towering trees creating a labyrinth of darkness and light. He could have chosen to antagonize her further, probing her with relentless questions about the lives she'd taken or witnessed being snuffed out by other Sith. But such interrogations might only provide her with a perverse sense of satisfaction. No, he decided against the taunts and jeers. She had been decisively defeated and was intent on meddling in his affairs.
He wasn't supposed to talk to Sith, let alone spend time with them as if they were comrades. His master
Jasper Kai'el
would not approve.
Yet, he also knew the Sith would never approve of working with a Jedi, especially not in the pursuit of freeing young ones. Such an act would only be seen as a weakness, unless it served some twisted purpose of manipulation.
He moved with purpose, each step confident and assured. He knew where he was going, his path clear in his mind. He was headed for a cliffside ridge through the forest, seeking a slightly beaten path. The forest opened up as he approached the ridge, the canopy thinning to reveal a breathtaking vista. The cliffside offered a panoramic view of the valley below, bathed in the golden hues of the setting sun.
He paused for a moment at the edge, taking in the scene. The wind rustled through the trees, carrying with it the scent of pine and earth. Below, the valley stretched out, a patchwork of greenery and rocky outcrops.
Without warning, he turned sharply and sprinted towards the edge. As he reached the cliff's brink, he launched himself into the air. For a moment, he soared upwards, a silhouette against the setting sun, before gravity took hold and he began to descend rapidly. Just as it seemed he would crash into the rocky outcrops below, he extended his hand, and with a precise manipulation of the Force, he slowed his fall.
He landed lightly, as if the earth itself cushioned his descent, and continued to move forward without breaking his stride.
"Hurry up!" he commanded, not bothering to look back.
"We have much to do, and little time to do it."
The path was winding and treacherous. The forest whispered around them, a chorus of unseen creatures and rustling leaves. They were two opposing forces bound by a common goal, yet separated by an unbridgeable chasm of ideology and intent.
The journey ahead was uncertain, fraught with danger and deception. But for now, they were united in purpose, if not in spirit. The sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the land, as they ventured deeper into the unknown.